Virgin Galactic has unveiled the design of a supersonic aircraft flying at the speed of Mach 3 which will be the result of a partnership just started with Rolls-Royce.
This would mark a huge step forward in the company's development of a new flight philosophy that hinges on a supersonic aircraft with an eye for environmental sustainability.
Practical, safe, reliable
The philosophy exhibited by the companies of Richard Branson at Virgin Galactic is to make customer experience a top priority.
This aircraft was designed for a variety of operational scenarios, including passenger service on long-distance commercial aviation routes. The plane would take off and land like any other passenger plane, integrating into the world's existing airport infrastructure and international airspace.
“We are thrilled to unveil this high-speed aircraft design for safe and reliable commercial travel,” he comments George Whitesides, Chief Space Officer of Virgin Galactic.
“We are delighted to partner with the innovative team at Rolls-Royce as we strive to develop sustainable, cutting-edge propulsion systems for the aircraft. We are also pleased to be working with the National Flight Agency to ensure our projects can have a practical impact right from the start.”
We have made great progress and look forward to opening a new frontier in high-speed travel
George Whitesides, Chief Space Officer of Virgin Galactic
Some details on the project
The basic parameters of the initial design of this new high-speed aircraft include a mach 3 certified delta wing aircraft.
An aircraft that would have a capacity of 9 to 19 people at an altitude above 18.000 km (60.000 ft) and would also be able to incorporate customized cabin layouts to meet customer needs.
London to New York in two hours, faster than the Concorde. That's why among the configurations there is one with business or first class seating.
The project also aims to pave the way for the use of a futuristic sustainable aviation fuel.
Virgin Galactic supersonic aircraft: next steps
After the design team Virgin will now move on to the next phase of design. It involves defining system architecture and configurations, and determining the materials to be used for the design and production of the aircraft.
The team will also work to address the main challenges of this type of project.
It is about solving problems of thermal management, maintenance, noise, emissions and economy.
