soon hypersonic planes, at more than 5,000 km/h

A Paris-New York in 1h30 chrono, against 7 hours today, it may be possible in a few years… Anthony Morel presents the hypersonic planes in “Estelle Midi” this Monday on RMC and RMC Story.

We already know about supersonic aircraft, like the Concorde. There, we are in the next category: hypersonic aircraft, more than five times the speed of sound. Several projects, in particular that of Hermeus – founded by former SpaceX employees – which wants to offer transatlantic flights in 90 minutes flat. They recently presented a prototype and want to offer first test flights by the end of the decade. A plane called Quarterhorse, very small, very slender. It looks more like a drone or a missile than an airliner, there is not even a porthole. It could carry around twenty passengers at a cruising speed of around 5,300 km/h.

There are many technological challenges: developing an ultra-efficient engine obviously, but also a fuselage capable of withstanding very high temperatures due to air friction at high speed, and then the type of fuel used. Considering the speed, the consumption would be absolutely huge. And it’s not really in tune with the times, whether for economic or ecological reasons. Which leads to the second point: ticket prices. Suffice to say that it will not be transatlantic flights at 500 euros. Its creators say that the plane could be profitable with tickets around 3,000 euros, which remains to be proven.

For passengers, this does not change much. The take-off acceleration phase will last longer, but it won’t be unpleasant for the passengers, you won’t be stuck in your seat like in a fighter plane.

Several projects under study

Note that this is one project among others. Boeing, for example, unveiled a few months ago a hypersonic aircraft project also capable of crossing the Atlantic in less than two hours, which should not see the light of day for 20 years. China is working on an “iPlane”. There is also a British plane that should connect London to Sydney in 4 hours – compared to 22 today – in which the British government has invested tens of millions, or even Rolls Royce and Boeing. It would take off before leaving the atmosphere and there it would rush at 30,000 km/h.

The first test flights are planned for 2025 and commercialization in the 2030s. What is interesting is to see that the race for speed has resumed. Air transport is one of the only areas where we had regressed technologically.

These planes could also have military applications. In recent days, much has been said about the hypersonic missiles used by Russia. All the major armed powers are working on hypersonic technologies, whether missiles or aircraft that are very difficult to intercept and capable of hitting any point on the globe in a few hours. It is no coincidence that Hermeus is notably financed by the US Air Force. France is also working on the subject with a hypersonic glider project, but also ultra-fast freight transport.

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