Researchers at NASA have been analyzing the business case for developing a supersonic passenger jet that could travel up to four times the speed of sound.
This would be around twice as fast as the cruising speed of Concorde, the iconic retired Franco–British jet, which could maintain Mach 2 — 1,348 mph — at an altitude of some 60,000 feet.
For comparison, today’s larger airliners typically cruise at a relatively sedate 600 mph, which is only about 80 percent of the way to breaking the sound barrier at Mach 1.
NASA determined that viable passenger markets exist in connection with 50 established transocean flight paths between cities, particularly over the North Atlantic and Pacific.
The possibility of supersonic flight over land was not considered, as such tends to be prohibited for civil aviation — as is the case in the US.
That said, however, NASA’s “Quesst” mission — which involves the development of an experimental quiet supersonic aircraft known as the X-59 — is hoped may lead to changes to these rules in the future.
Lori Ozoroski — project manager for NASA’s Commercial Supersonic Technology Project — said: “We conducted similar concept studies over a decade ago at Mach 1.6–1.8.
“[The] resulting roadmaps helped guide NASA research efforts since, including those leading to the X-59.
“These new studies will both refresh those looks at technology roadmaps and identify additional research needs for a broader high-speed range.”
The next step in NASA’s Advanced Air Vehicles Program will be for the space agency to issue two year-long contracts to aerospace firms to develop concept designs and roadmaps.
The latter are expected to explore air travel possibilities, outline the risks and possibilities, and identify the technologies that would be needed to make greater-than-Mach-2 travel a reality.
Boeing is leading the team with the first contract, and will be partnered with other companies including Exosonic, GE Aerospace, Georgia Tech Aerospace Systems Design Laboratory, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies.
The second contract, meanwhile, is going to Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems, who will be working in collaboration with Blue Ridge Research and Consulting, Boom Supersonic, and Rolls-Royce North American Technologies.
Each team, NASA said, will be exploring such elements as airframe, power, propulsion, thermal management and materials designs that can hold up under high-supersonic velocities.
Alongside this, the teams will be putting together non-proprietary designs for concept supersonic vehicles.
Once this industry engagement phase is completed, NASA — and its academic and industrial partners — will then decide whether to invest in the continuation of the work.
NASA’s Mary Jo Long–Davis — manager of the agency’s Hypersonic Technology Project — said: “The design concepts and technology roadmaps are really important to have in our hands when the companies are finished.
“We are also collectively conscious of the need to account for safety, efficiency, [and] economic and societal considerations.
“It’s important to innovate responsibly so we return benefits to travelers and do no harm to the environment.”
