National Ledger - Hypersonic Jet Photo Creates Buzz: Five Hours From Europe to Australia

Share This \| Related Hypersonic Jet Photo Creates Buzz: Five Hours From Europe to Australia
By Jim Roberts Feb 7, 2008

A hypersonic jet that can fly from Europe to Australia in less than 5 hours was unveiled by scientists at Reaction Engines in England. The photos and the speed have created quite the buzz. The engineers say the A2 plane will be able to carry up to 300 people at five times the speed of sound, or approximately 4000 mph. The speed means no windows for passengers, but designers may put flat-screen televisions in place of the windows to simulate outdoor views.

The jet is designed to travel at five times the speed of sound

The A2, nick-named the LAPCAT (Long-Term Advanced Propulsion Concepts and Technologies), is being backed by the European Space Agency and should be available for deployment within the next 25 years.

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"The A2 is designed to leave Brussels international airport, fly quietly and subsonically out into the north Atlantic at mach 0.9 before reaching mach 5 across the North Pole and heading over the Pacific to Australia," firm boss Alan Bond told the Guardian Daily.

The plane will be built at about double the size of today's largest jet planes, and could conceivably fly non-stop for over 12,000 miles. It will be fuelled by 'ecologically friendly' liquid hydrogen, giving off water and nitrous oxide instead of carbon emissions. "Our work shows that it is possible technically; now it's up to the world to decide if it wants it," said Bond.

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