HyperMach plans to have a hypersonic (five times the speed of sound) aircraft ready in 5 years time able to carry 20 passengers.
A company called reaction Engines claim they will be able to a plane with normal take off and landing characteristics that will be able to travel at hypersonic speeds using a single engine type. The aircraft will be able to carry 200 passengers and be ready “in a few years”.
Is Hypersonic travel really this close or are people getting ahead of themselves?
By: Robbiesmurf - 30th July 2015 at 16:23
Kinetic heating has always been a major limiting factor in high supersonic regimes. That and the fuel used.
There was research into the reduction of the heating by the use of unconventional insulation. I haven’t seen much info on that for a number of years.
By: Amiga500 - 30th July 2015 at 13:50
http://aviationweek.com/technology/air-breathing-sabre-concept-gains-credibility
This may be of interest to you.
I’m really quite excited about SABRE.
It has the potential to make proper resource exploitation of the solar system possible before a Space Elevator is built (prob sometime around 2080 – I might live to see that!).
By: topspeed - 22nd July 2015 at 16:52
Getting very much ahead of themselves.
I personally have great hope for the Sabre, but in terms of a passenger carrying “air” craft, not before 2040, at absolute minimum.
The first thing they will be doing will be full orbital insertions (i.e. satellite launches) as that is where the money is and there is no need for human flight certification. After that, they’ll be looking human cert for the ISS as a govt funded stepping stone (it has a safety net of funding). Then, you might get bizjet based products and after that, commercial passenger designs.
Here is what needs to be done (assuming they’re at TRL6, whereas I think they are at TRL5):
– Prototype to test engine functionality.
– Prototype to expand operational envelope (may require separate prototype).
– Prototype to evaluate engine endurance (may require separate prototype and significant program).
– Low weight non human orbital
– Med weight non human orbital
– Human cert orbital
– Bizjet sub orbital
– Commercial sub orbitalThe sub orbital nature of point to point commerce may even require another test program for heat soak evaluation.
I think a electric – rocket powered hybrid would be cool ( aptly named ” HERO ” ).
Flying first to 5 – 10 km with electic engines turning 5 blade 5 m dia props and then igniting the rockets for few minutes…and you go easily mach 2 + speeds.
By: Amiga500 - 15th July 2015 at 16:19
Getting very much ahead of themselves.
I personally have great hope for the Sabre, but in terms of a passenger carrying “air” craft, not before 2040, at absolute minimum.
The first thing they will be doing will be full orbital insertions (i.e. satellite launches) as that is where the money is and there is no need for human flight certification. After that, they’ll be looking human cert for the ISS as a govt funded stepping stone (it has a safety net of funding). Then, you might get bizjet based products and after that, commercial passenger designs.
Here is what needs to be done (assuming they’re at TRL6, whereas I think they are at TRL5):
– Prototype to test engine functionality.
– Prototype to expand operational envelope (may require separate prototype).
– Prototype to evaluate engine endurance (may require separate prototype and significant program).
– Low weight non human orbital
– Med weight non human orbital
– Human cert orbital
– Bizjet sub orbital
– Commercial sub orbital
The sub orbital nature of point to point commerce may even require another test program for heat soak evaluation.
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July 5, 2015 at 8:19 pm