NASA moves a step closer to supersonic passenger flights | CNN
www.cnn.com
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.

  • @Kavorka
    10•9 months ago

    The rail network should be a service not a for profit organisation

    • @AnAngryAlpaca@feddit.de
      2•9 months ago

      Still, someone has to finance it. In the worst case you have a high speed rail network with high operationg costs that nobody uses, but taxpayers still need to maintain.

      • @NattyNatty2x4@beehaw.org
        7•9 months ago

        I swear if firefighting wasn’t currently publicly funded, you’d argue against making it publicly funded because it might not be profitable

      • @max@feddit.nl
        5•9 months ago

        If it’s there (and not terrible), people will use it. Will it break even on the costs? Maybe. Maybe not. Still worth it, however.

      • @Kavorka
        1•9 months ago

        Just move some defence budget into the rail network.