Picture this: You start your day at the Empire State Building in New York City, and by evening tea time, you're sipping Earl Grey in London. How's that for a jet-setter's dream come true?
Well, it might just be possible, thanks to NASA's (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) out-of-this-world ambitions!
What
Usually, commercial passenger planes take a lengthy 7-8 hours to hop across the pond from New York to London.
But remember the Concorde? That sleek bird could dash from one side of the Atlantic to the other in a mere 3 hours.
Now, NASA has its eyes on a groundbreaking idea that could potentially trim that cross-continental jaunt down to just 90 minutes.
Today's jumbo jets zip along at about 965 kilometers per hour, but NASA isn't satisfied with the status quo.
They're daydreaming about supersonic passenger planes that could break the sound barrier, flying anywhere from Mach 2 to Mach 4, which translates to an eye-popping 2469 to 4939 kilometers per hour in their blog.Â
And guess what? Their cosmic research suggests that there's a possibility for this speedy travel on roughly 50 well-established flight routes.
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The plan
The United States and several other countries have rules against supersonic flights over land.
So, the study mainly looked at flights over the ocean, especially busy routes across the Pacific.
At the same time, NASA is tinkering with designs, like its experimental X-59 aircraft, which can zip through the skies at supersonic speeds with less noise.
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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
- Lori Ozoroski, project manager for NASA’s Commercial Supersonic Technology Project
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NASA's Advanced Air Vehicle Program is gearing up for the next stage of high-speed travel research.
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12-month contract
They're giving out two 12-month contracts to companies to come up with ideas and technology plans,
These plans will delve into the possibilities of air travel at high speeds, lay out the challenges and risks, and highlight the technologies that could turn supersonic travel into reality.
One team, led by Boeing and joined by Exosonic, GE Aerospace, Georgia Tech Aerospace Systems Design Laboratory, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, and others, will take on this mission.
The second team, led by Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems, will team up with Blue Ridge Research and Consulting, Boom Supersonic, and Rolls-Royce North American Technolo.
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So, get ready for some exciting developments in the world of super-fast flying!