London to New York in just 90 min? Nasa's special supersonic aircraft to reduce flight duration: Report
NASA is developing a supersonic aircraft that could reduce the duration of flights from London to New York to just 90 minutes. The X-59s, part of NASA's Quesst mission, would travel at speeds between Mach 2 and Mach 4 (1,535-3,045 mph).
PremiumSoon, the air distance between London to New York will reduced from eight hours to only 90 minutes. According to CNN Travel's report, US Space agency NASA has confirmed about “high-speed strategy" which will shrink the duration of New York-London flights to as little as 90 minutes.
NASA is developing a supersonic aircraft, called X-59s, as part of its Quesst mission. Currently, passenger planes cruise at 600 mph but Nasa is exploring the possibility of designing a commercially viable and economical supersonic jet that would travel between Mach 2 and Mach 4 (1,535-3,045 mph).
NASA has recently studied whether commercial flights at up to Mach 4 – over 3,000 miles per hour – could take off in the future.
The study by NASA’s Glenn Research Center suggested said there are “potential passenger markets… in about 50 established routes." Such routes include transoceanic ones because nations including the US ban overland supersonic flight. The US and other countries have banned the flying of supersonic jets over land due to sound pollution. However, NASA is trying to get the overland supersonic flight rules changed by achieving two important goals.
NASA's QUESST MISSION
Following the studies, NASA's Advanced Air Vehicles Program (AAV) will now move to its next research phase for high-speed travel.
Under the Quesst mission, NASA is developing an X-59 supersonic aircraft having technology that reduces the loudness of a sonic boom from a supersonic jet. They aim to then convince for the change in overland supersonic flight rules.
The space agency will be contracting companies to develop designs and make Mach 2-plus travel a reality. The research team will be divided into two parts, one will be headed by Boeing and the other by Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems.
The new phase will also consider “safety, efficiency, economic and societal considerations," said Mary Jo Long-Davis, manager of NASA’s Hypersonic Technology Project told CNN Travel.
Last month, Lockheed Martin completed the build of NASA’s X-59 test aircraft. As per the report, the ground tests and a first test flight are planned for later in the year.
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