Dr. Sergey Macheret, a leading expert in plasma science and hypersonic aerodynamics, has published a new blog article. The article highlights the complex challenges of operating at speeds beyond Mach 10 and proposes innovative solutions rooted in electromagnetics and plasma physics.
In the post, Macheret draws on decades of research and development to explain how high-speed vehicles experience extreme heating and ionization, forming a plasma layer around the craft. This plasma layer interferes with radio communication, intensifies thermal loads, and generates electromagnetic interference—all critical concerns in aerospace and defense sectors.
“Understanding and controlling hypersonic plasmas is no longer optional—it’s essential,” says Macheret. “This is the frontier that will define the next generation of flight and space access.”
The article explores real-world mitigation strategies including magnetic field application, gas injection, and adaptive communications. Macheret also explains how these same plasma phenomena can be harnessed for positive control, such as magnetic heat shielding and shockwave manipulation.
“We’re not just trying to eliminate plasma effects,” Macheret explains. “We’re looking at how to use them to our advantage—to shape flow, reduce drag, and improve vehicle control.”
According to recent data from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, over $15 billion has been allocated to hypersonic weapons and systems through 2027. The urgency to develop reliable communication, control, and protection technologies for hypersonic vehicles continues to grow.
The blog post also introduces emerging concepts like "virtual shapes" and dynamic boundary layer control, offering insight into future applications in reusable space vehicles, advanced defense platforms, and next-gen airframes.
“These tools could allow us to do things aerodynamically that simply aren’t possible with physical control surfaces alone,” Macheret writes.
With over 200 publications and 15 U.S. patents, Dr. Macheret is known for practical solutions that bridge theory and engineering. His latest post invites collaboration between scientists, engineers, and policy-makers to accelerate development in this fast-evolving field.
The full blog article is available at his website here.
About Dr. Sergey Macheret:
Sergey Macheret is a physicist, engineer, and educator specializing in plasma physics, hypersonics, and high-temperature gas dynamics. He is the co-founder and CEO of US Plasma Engineering LLC and a former professor at Purdue University.
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State: Indiana
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