Japan's New Hypersonic Engine Could Make 2-Hour Flights to the US a Reality
3 hours ago
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- Japan's JAXA and universities successfully tested a Mach-5 hypersonic ramjet engine in ground combustion trials.
- The ramjet engine is air-breathing, lacks moving parts, and requires supersonic speed to function, reducing engine weight compared to turbofans.
- The test simulated extreme conditions at 25 km altitude with temperatures over 1,000°C, using advanced heat-shielding to protect avionics.
- Future plans include flight tests via sounding rockets by JAXA, aiming for commercial hypersonic passenger service by the 2040s.
- Hypersonic travel could reduce Tokyo-Los Angeles flights from about 10 hours to 2 hours, without entering orbit.