New winged rocket can travel from New York to Beijing in just one hour
Ever wished you could get to the other side of the world without layovers, missed connections or an endless plane journey?
Well, this winged rocket concept will get you from one side to the other in just an hour. Yes, you could be able to get to an entirely different part of the world in the same time it takes you to get to work each morning.
Early last year, Chinese aerospace firm Space Transportation announced they are developing a 'rocket with wings' that would be designed for space tourism and also never-before-seen transport times to countries across the globe.
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And it is hoped that a journey from New York to Beijing would take just an hour, with the typical flight between the two cities in 2023 taking around 18 hours.
Space Transportation's website states the space plane will travel at approximately 2,600 mph, making it twice the speed of the Concorde.
Speaking to The Yincheng Times, a company spokesperson said: "We are developing a winged rocket for high-speed, point-to-point transportation, which is lower in cost than rockets that carry satellites and faster than traditional aircraft."
This all does sounds really futuristic, doesn't it? Something you would possibly see in a film that is set hundreds of years in the future.
But this new spaceship is actually a lot closer than you may think, with ground tests set to be completed at some point this year.
If that all goes to plan without any hiccups, then a crewed test flight will hopefully take place in 2025.
While it may still be a few years until the rocket is in full public use (if all tests are successful of course), it is good to see something that sounds so far-fetched and futuristic in the realms of possibility.
Space.com reports that the company are hoping to conduct a full point-to-point flight by the end of the decade.
But how exactly will this aircraft operate? Well, a video released by Space Transportation shows the plane detaching from the wing powered rockets shortly after take-off.
The plane then continues on with its journey, while the wing and boosters return to the launch pad.
When the futuristic plane lands at its destination, it will touchdown using three legs that unfold from the rear.
Callum Jones