NASA moves a step closer to supersonic passenger flights | CNN
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A new study by NASA’s Glenn Research Center has looked at the possibility of supersonic passenger jets. Its “high-speed strategy” is mooting commercial flights that travel at up to Mach 4 – over 3,000 miles per hour – starting with transoceanic routes.

In July, Lockheed Martin completed the build of NASA’s X-59 test aircraft, which is designed to turn sonic booms into mere thumps, in the hope of making overland supersonic flight a possibility. Ground tests and a first test flight are planned for later in the year. NASA aims to have enough data to hand over to US regulators in 2027.

  • @gammasfor@sh.itjust.works
    45•2 years ago

    I’d hate to live in a world where just because something isn’t immediately useful it shouldn’t be researched.

    Being able to demonstrate the ability to suppress a sonic boom would be huge.

    • @lntl@lemmy.ml
      0•2 years ago

      Nah, there must be a reason to fund research. Then, publicly funded research must align with the public’s good.