Twice as Fast as the "Harmony": China is Developing a Hypersonic Passenger Aircraft
Agile Rockets and Space Fireworks — What Else Will Chinese Scientists Surprise the World With?
Author: Dmitriy Kapustyn
Several Chinese aerospace companies have showcased amazing research achievements — from reusable rockets that can perform complex maneuvers in the air, to hypersonic passenger aircraft and artificial "meteor showers".
The Dance of Beijing Rockets in the Air
Beijing Lingkong Tianxing Technology Company launched its reusable liquid-fueled rocket.
In the demonstration video, this rocket displays a flexible posture comparable to ballet: for example, it can rotate around its own axis.
In the video, the rocket vertically ascends to nearly 2000 meters, then the control surfaces on both sides of the nose adjust the tilt angle.
After reaching the maximum height for about 30 seconds, the engine shuts off, and the rocket completes its first flip. Then it descends with the nose forward and decelerates at a large "angle of attack."
About 10 seconds later, the engine restarts, the wings adjust their angle, allowing the rocket to complete a second flip and return to a vertical position.
This is not the only innovation of Lingkong Tianxing Technology. The company is also working on developing a hypersonic passenger aircraft, targeting a speed of 5 Mach (over 6100 kilometers per hour). Its prototype, "Cuantianhou," has completed its first test flight, reaching a speed of 4 Mach (approximately 4900 kilometers per hour).
From London to New York in Just One Hour
Since the French "Concorde" made its last flight in 2003, commercial supersonic flights have disappeared.
Currently, several Chinese companies are investing in the development of supersonic passenger aircraft. Among them, "Cuantianhou" will be twice as fast as the "Concorde," which was retired due to high costs.
The emergence of a hypersonic passenger aircraft will be a revolution in the field of transportation, comparable to the invention of ships or the start of ocean voyages. At that time, people's perception of long-haul air travel will be completely changed — from London to New York in just one hour.
The company promises to conduct test flights before 2027; by 2031, it will launch a larger space plane capable of carrying 50 passengers, traveling at 5 Mach.
This aircraft can circumnavigate the Earth in about 7 hours, opening up new possibilities for travel and business activities.
Why has it taken so long? Lingkong Tianxing Technology says that the development of hypersonic engines, aerodynamic design, materials that can withstand extreme temperatures and loads, and compliance with international flight safety standards all require a lot of effort and investment.
China is not the only country developing hypersonic vehicles. Countries such as the United States and Russia are also conducting research in this area. However, at present, Lingkong Tianxing's project seems to be the most promising.
Fireworks in the Sky at 400 Kilometers
Hypersonic passenger aircraft may not be the most astonishing achievement of Chinese engineers. They have already mastered the technology of artificial meteor showers, with effects identical to natural meteor showers: specially designed particles burn in the atmosphere, creating a visual spectacle.
To create a meteor shower, the particles need to be sent into orbit. Satellites are equipped with special pressurized gas tank systems that can launch colored particles at extremely high speeds.
Chinese space show experts say that their artificial meteor showers are even better than natural ones — they last longer and have more dazzling visual effects.
Therefore, even against the backdrop of city lights illuminating the night sky, they can be clearly seen. However, the idea of organizing such a space show is not new: a Japanese company had previously planned to create an artificial meteor shower over Hiroshima.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7529091761756357163/
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