Flights to New York are typically eight to nine hours, but this announcement from NASA means flight times will be drastically speedier than we have seen before.
The space agency announced plans for a supersonic passenger plane this week after they found fifty established routes that connect cities that would sell to flyers.
Commercial partners including Boeing, Rolls-Royce, and GE Aerospace have been contracted to create non-proprietary designs for concept vehicles.
The new planes could travel between Mach 2 and Mach 4 and surpass today’s aeroplanes which travel at 80% of the speed of sound.
Concorde had a maximum cruising speed of 1,354 mph, or Mach 2.04.
Its fastest transatlantic crossing was on February 7, 1996, when it completed the New York to London flight in 2 hours 52 minutes and 59 seconds.
The NASA studies found that the market exists for super-fast flights, but as the U.S. and other nations have banned supersonic flight over land, they would be limited to supersonic travel over oceans and seas.
This would include high-volume North Atlantic routes and those crossing the Pacific.
NASA’s Quest mission, aims to find a way to make supersonic travel over land possible, with its X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft.
Lori Ozoroski, project manager for NASA’s Commercial Supersonic Technology Project said: “We conducted similar concept studies over a decade ago at Mach 1.6-1.8, and those resulting roadmaps helped guide NASA research efforts since, including those leading to the X-59.
“These new studies will both refresh those looks at technology roadmaps and identify additional research needs for a broader high-speed range.
NASA’s Advanced Air Vehicles Program (AAVP) is now moving into the next phase of high-speed travel research, which included awarding two 12-month contracts to companies to develop designs and roadmaps.
The roadmaps will explore air travel possibilities, outline risks and challenges, and identify needed technologies to make Mach 2-plus travel a reality.
Boeing is leading the first team, with partners Exosonic, GE Aerospace, Georgia Tech Aerospace Systems Design Laboratory, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, and others.
Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems lead the second team, with partners Blue Ridge Research and Consulting, Boom Supersonic, and Rolls-Royce North American Technologies.
Each team will develop roadmaps to include airframe, power, propulsion, thermal management, and composite materials that can hold up under high-supersonic speeds.
They will also create un-trademarked designs for concept vehicles.
Mary Jo Long-Davis, manager of NASA’s Hypersonic Technology Project, said: “The design concepts and technology roadmaps are really important to have in our hands when the companies are finished.”
She added: “We are also collectively conscious of the need to account for safety, efficiency, economic, and societal considerations. It’s important to innovate responsibly so we return benefits to travelers and do no harm to the environment.”
Long-Davis and Ozoroski have been tasked by NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate and the AAVP to develop a high-speed strategy.
These conceptual vehicle designs and technology roadmaps are key to developing that strategy.
Once they have successfully engaged with the wider industry, NASA and its industry and academic partners will decide whether to continue the research with their own investments.
Source: https://www.mirror.co.uk/authors/emilia-randall/
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