China is developing a supersonic passenger plane that can fly at twice the speed of Concorde

Space Transportation company, known as Lingkong Tianxing Technology in China, announced that it has tested the prototype of a commercial passenger plane that can travel at twice the speed of Concorde. According to the company’s claim, the plane named Yunxing can fly at Mach 4 (4,938 km/h).

According to a report by South China Morning Post (SCMP), the company plans to conduct a follow-up test of its engine next month. It also plans to prepare a full-size prototype to make its first flight in 2027.

Concorde, which entered service in 1976, revolutionized passenger transportation and shortened travel times with its ability to fly at supersonic speed. Although it was later discontinued due to its high cost and reliability problems, it is considered one of the masterpieces of aviation technology.

Concorde was the first turbojet-powered supersonic airliner to carry passengers across the Atlantic Ocean at twice the speed of sound. Using Rolls-Royce Olympus engines, the aircraft could reach a maximum speed of 2,132 km per hour (Mach 2).

Beijing – New York will be reduced to two hours

The Chinese company aims to break this record by launching its commercial aircraft that can fly at Mach 4. At this speed, the plane will be able to travel from Beijing to New York in approximately two hours.

The new aircraft prototype designed by Space Transportation also has other interesting features. These include the ability to take off and land vertically and fly at an altitude of approximately 65,600 feet (20,000 meters).

Space Transportation designs and manufactures space transportation systems aimed at reducing the costs of space exploration. Founded in 2018, the company successfully completed the Yao-10 flight mission of the Tianxing I rocket in May 2022. The company carries out full system design and research and development activities in the field of hypersonic aircraft and rockets.

It is stated that the company tested the Yunxing supersonic jet on various parameters, including aerodynamics, thermal protection and control systems. The company says that the composite aircraft successfully withstood extreme conditions during the test flight.

Years after Concorde’s retirement, supersonic passenger transport began to become popular again. The US company Boom is also conducting tests with its supersonic aircraft called Boom XB-1. It seems that passenger transportation at supersonic speed will start again in the future.