Imagine traveling from one side of the world to the other without any layovers, missed connections or an endless plane journey.
Sounds like an absolute dream, right?
That dream could soon become a reality, as a Chinese aerospace company’s working on a winged rocket concept that can fly from New York to Beijing in just one hour.
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No need to read that again or rub your eyes.
Yes, it’ll take just one hour, which is probably the same amount of time it takes you to get to work each morning.
Last year, Space Transportation announced they’re developing a ‘rocket with wings’ designed for space tourism and never-before-seen transport times to countries across the globe.
At present, the typical flight time from New York to Beijing takes around 18 hours.
So an hour’s travel time seems almost unfathomable, but when you hear how fast it goes, you’ll understand how it’s possible.
Apparently, the winged rocket will travel at approximately 4,184 km/h (2,600 mph), which is twice the speed of Concorde.
“We are developing a winged rocket for high-speed, point-to-point transportation, which is lower in cost than rockets that carry satellites and faster than traditional aircraft,” a company spokesperson told The Yincheng Times.
We’ve already heard how promising the future of supersonic travel looks, with several private companies and NASA currently working on projects.
But this is the first we’ve heard of a winged rocket – and it could come a lot sooner than you think.
Apparently, ground tests are set to be completed at some point this year.
All being well, a crew test flight will hopefully take place in 2025.
If you’re wondering how the aircraft will operate, a video released by Space Transportation on the company’s website reveals all.
The plane detaches from the wing-powered rockets shortly after take-off.
While the plane continues on its journey, the wing and boosters return to the launch pad.
Then, when the aircraft reaches its destination, it touches down using three legs that unfold from the rear.
