China Plans to Launch Supersonic Aircraft Capable of Carrying 10 Passengers Anywhere on Earth Within One Hour
The Supersonic Aircraft is Larger than a Boeing 737, according to new research by Chinese scientists involved in the country’s lunar and Mars missions. Measuring 45 meters in length, the aircraft is nearly three times longer than the 737-700, featuring two jet engines mounted on top of the main fuselage. The aircraft’s design includes a pair of triangular wings similar to the Concorde, but with the wing tips angled upward.
The new supersonic aircraft shares several features with the Concorde. (Photo: Beijing Institute of Technology).
A design as complex as this could present numerous aerodynamic challenges as the aircraft reaches supersonic speeds, traveling five times the speed of sound.
The research team utilized a new aerodynamic model that has proven effective in China’s latest space missions to assess the aircraft’s performance at high speeds. They found several areas on the aircraft that require reinforcement, as these points are likely to experience sudden spikes in temperature and pressure when flying at Mach 6, equivalent to 7,344 km/h.
This discovery has numerous applications in similar engineering projects, according to researcher Liu Rui from the Beijing Institute of Technology and collaborators at the Spacecraft System Engineering Institute, in a report published last week in the Physics of Gases journal. Liu is a key scientist in China’s Mars landing mission and lunar sample return mission, both of which require spacecraft to fly through the atmosphere at extremely high speeds.
The lunar mission is particularly challenging because the samples are released at speeds faster than any Chinese spacecraft has achieved before. Liu’s model has helped the space agency improve the aerodynamic design of the craft and plan its flight path. The success of these two space missions demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach.
Supersonic Aircraft represents China’s prominent high-tech initiative. By 2025, China aims to complete experiments to determine all major components of the supersonic aircraft, including a new generation of jet engines capable of propelling the vehicle at rocket speeds. A decade later, China plans to operate a fleet of supersonic aircraft that can carry 10 passengers anywhere on Earth within one hour. By 2045, these aircraft could transport over 100 passengers per flight.
The supersonic aircraft will draw oxygen from the atmosphere, allowing it to operate at a cost of only 1/100th that of rockets. They will enable China to transport over 10,000 tons of cargo and 10,000 passengers annually to a space station in low Earth orbit and on the Moon. Currently, this type of aircraft is only used by the military. Despite their massive size, they offer very little space for passengers, as the engines and air intakes occupy most of the fuselage area.
