China is building a “winged rocket” that could fly from New York to Beijing in 1 hour

In a few years’ time, the first flight test to test the efficiency of a very fast spacecraft could be carried out as early as 2025. The device is being developed by Chinese engineers.

A Chinese aerospace company, Space Transportation, is developing an aircraft that would be able to make a space jump, known as suborbital flight. The device does not orbit the Earth because it does not have the speed to do so. However, the development of Space Transportation would still be of great benefit to people, as it would allow them to get from one point on Earth to another much faster.

According to Space.com, the Chinese space company wants to achieve this with a “winged rocket”. The name is a reference to the shape of the vehicle, and also because the sides of the development each have a giant engine. In an interesting concept video, the company also outlines how it envisages a space jump, which could save a lot of time for those venturing long distances.

According to this, the aircraft – known only as a Space Plane – would be launched from a vertical position, just like a spaceship. Once it reaches a certain altitude, it would jettison the two launchers and continue its journey without them, while the payload would return to a central base, as SpaceX envisages. The company says this would save fuel, raw materials and money.

Interesting Engineering pointed out that the “winged rocket” could theoretically reach speeds of 4,184 km/h, which would make a New York-London trip take up to 1 hour. Passengers would not have to wear space suits, at least not the kind worn by astronauts who would be going much higher, the company envisages. But even so, the transport would not be mass: the imaginary plane could carry about a dozen passengers from point to point.

Source: interestingengineering.com