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Hypersonic space plane reaches speed of 11,115 km/h
Hypersonic space plane reaches speed of 11,115 km/h
Venus Aerospace has revealed the first images of its new hypersonic aircraft called Stargazer, which can reach a maximum speed of 11,115 km/h, equivalent to Mach 9. This speed allows the aircraft to carry passengers from New York, USA to Tokyo, Japan in one hour.
The silhouette of Venus Aerospace's Stargazer supersonic spaceplane. Photo: Venus Aerospace
Venus Aerospace has partnered with NASA's leading spaceflight facility to develop the Stargazer aircraft project. The team is currently studying data from the US space shuttle program.
The Stargazer is powered by a rocket engine that spins at 20,000 rpm. The Stargazer can take off from a normal airport using a conventional jet engine and will enter space before returning to Earth. The vehicle will fly at subsonic speeds before transitioning to supersonic speeds.
Unlike conventional aircraft, the Stargazer will reach an altitude of 51,816 m, then accelerate to Mach 9.
Design of the Stargazer supersonic aircraft. Photo: Venus Aerospace.
The Stargazer is expected to be 30.5 m wide and 45.7 m long with a take-off weight of more than 68,000 kg. The maximum number of passengers on the Stargazer is only 12 people, but the ticket price is expected to be relatively affordable.
This is science fact, not science fiction, said Dr Andrew Duggleby, co-founder of Venus Aerospace. Stargazer will fly at an altitude of nearly 52,000m and at a speed of Mach 9, people on the ground will not be able to hear the plane.
Venus Aerospace introduced the Stargazer design at the UP Summit in Bentonville, Arkansas last June.