Boom Supersonic, a pioneering aerospace company, is setting new benchmarks in aviation history with its revolutionary supersonic aircraft, the XB-1. Following its historic first test, the XB-1 soared through the skies again on February 1, marking another major milestone in the journey to revive commercial supersonic travel. The aircraft first shattered the sound barrier during its January test flight and subsequently achieved supersonic speeds three more times during its latest mission.
Beijing-based Lingkong Tianxing Technology, also known as Space Transportation, has successfully tested a prototype aircraft capable of reaching Mach 4, which is equivalent to approximately 4,930 km/h. This achievement places the company’s technology at twice the speed of the Concorde, which was one of the most iconic supersonic passenger jets, capable of flying at around 2,150 km/h. This leap in speed represents a significant advancement in supersonic aviation, heralding a new era of ultra-fast travel for both civilian and potential military applications.
A hypersonic aircraft is being developed by a Texas-based company called Venus Aerospace. They have already created a functional engine for the project, and based on preliminary tests, they expect the plane to achieve speeds of up to 7,402.9 km/h. This would make it capable of flying at six times the speed of sound and three times faster than the famed Concorde supersonic airliner. With this speed, a journey from London to New York could be completed in under an hour.
Imagine soaring from New York to London in less time than it takes to finish an average movie. NASA’s recent groundbreaking venture is aimed at revolutionizing transatlantic travel. They’ve embarked on the creation of a supersonic passenger jet that boasts a blistering top speed of Mach 4 (approximately 4,900 km/h). To put this in perspective, this not only doubles Concorde’s impressive Mach 2 (2,450 km/h) speed but also outpaces the famed SR-71 Blackbird spy plane that had a design speed of Mach 3.2 (3,920 km/h).
Venus Aerospace, a US-based company, has been pursuing a groundbreaking concept: the development of an aircraft capable of reaching nine times the speed of sound. This impressive feat would allow passengers to travel anywhere in the world within just 60 minutes. Although news about the company’s progress has been relatively scarce since the summer of 2022, recent reports indicate that important strides have been made towards turning this ambitious idea into a reality. With a target launch date of 2030, Venus Aerospace is hard at work refining their technology.