The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has successfully conducted a test flight of a new generation supersonic passenger aircraft on October 10. This aircraft is hoped to be a successor to the Concorde.
The new aircraft is 11 meters long and was launched with the assistance of a rocket. The test took place over a desert in Australia. At an altitude of 7,500 meters, the aircraft detached from the rocket, accelerated to nearly twice the speed of sound, and landed autonomously using a parachute. The test flight lasted approximately 15 minutes.
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Before Launch |
The new product is named NEXST. According to its design, the aircraft can carry 300 passengers. It is estimated that the flight time from Tokyo to New York will take less than 6 hours. This new generation aircraft is assessed to be the quietest compared to existing planes worldwide.
However, according to JAXA’s Executive Director, Mr. Kimio Xakat, for NEXST to be effective in business, it will take at least another 15 years. Engineers and specialists still need to address several issues, such as minimizing energy consumption and further reducing noise levels.
It is hoped that in the future, this new model will replace the Concorde. The Concorde was a supersonic aircraft produced in collaboration between the UK and France. In July 2000, during a flight departing from Paris, the Concorde crashed, resulting in the loss of 113 lives.
The first test flight of NEXST was conducted in 2002, but it was unsuccessful.
Mai Hoa (According to Lenta.ru)
