In the past, traveling around the world in 80 days seemed like a fantasy. Nowadays, going around the Earth in 80 minutes also appears to be beyond human capability. Only astronauts can fly that fast. However, everything has changed.
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Model of the new supersonic aircraft from Russia |
Experts at the Moscow Institute have developed a model of an airplane capable of transporting passengers and cargo to any location on the planet at speeds that no modern aircraft has ever dreamed of.
The passenger aircraft can reach speeds of 30,000 km/h. It is predicted that this speed could take passengers from Moscow to Paris in just 20 minutes, to New York in 50 minutes, and to Sydney in 1 hour and 6 minutes.
“The aircraft is designed to the standards of a spacecraft“, the director of the Institute stated. “It uses a regular runway for takeoff and landing, just like a conventional airplane, but will fly in the manner of a manned spacecraft once airborne“.
It is expected that materials capable of withstanding high temperatures, new types of fuel, and innovative designs will be utilized in the construction of the spacecraft. The supersonic engine will propel the craft to the desired speed. It operates on oxygen and hydrogen, making it environmentally friendly.
The aircraft is designed to be 75 meters long, with a takeoff weight of about 800 tons (mostly fuel). It has the capacity to carry 10-45 tons of cargo to altitudes of 100 or 200 kilometers. The cost of cargo transport will be significantly lower compared to space shuttle flights. To transport 1 kg of cargo on a space shuttle, costs range from $10,000 to $20,000. In contrast, flights on this new type of craft would cost between $100 and $200 per kg.
The aircraft features a circular wing design, with the front section accommodating the pilot or cargo and the engine mounted at the rear, giving it the appearance of a flying saucer.
It is anticipated that the construction of two prototypes will cost around 6-8 billion rubles and will take 5-8 years.
