The world’s first hypersonic jet, capable of flying from London to New York City in just one hour, is set to begin testing. Air travel has dramatically changed how we traverse the globe. In the past, the only way to travel overseas was by boat, which typically required an average of seven to ten days at sea to make the journey from London to New York.
What is Hypersonic Travel?
Unlike standard passenger planes, a hypersonic jet would fly at speeds around 4,800 kilometers per hour (approximately 3,000 miles per hour) or Mach 5, which is five times the speed of sound. For reference, the distance between London and New York is about 5,570 kilometers (3,461 miles).
In essence, hypersonic jets represent a significant leap in speed. While super-speed air travel isn’t new—such as the now-retired Concorde, which set the record for the fastest flight between London and New York at 2 hours, 52 minutes, and 59 seconds—a hypersonic jet could potentially complete that trip in just a third of the time.
