Hypersonic Flight: Europe to Australia in 5 hrs with Liquid Hydrogen

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In summary, British engineers have unveiled plans for a hypersonic jet that could reach Australia from Europe in under five hours. The jet operates on liquid hydrogen, which is more environmentally friendly than traditional fuel sources. However, the use of hydrogen still requires energy and hypersonic flight is inefficient. The technology is similar to scramjet technology and uses a hybrid jet/rocket engine. Despite the excitement surrounding this project, it is not a real company or project and is being used for publicity purposes.
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Hypersonic jet could reach Australia in under five hours

Tue Feb 5, 7:05 AM ET

LONDON (AFP) - British engineers unveiled plans Tuesday for a hypersonic jet which could fly from Europe to Australia in less than five hours.

...

It operates on liquid hydrogen, which is more ecologically friendly as it gives off water and nitrous oxide instead of carbon emissions.

...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080205/ts_afp/britaintechnologyaustraliaeuaviationplane_080205120505

Is this same as scramjet technology, or is it a new technology?
 
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Why's it give off nitrous oxide?
 
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Hydrogen isn't natural in molecular form, so it needs to be generated. That requires energy, so unless they use something like nuclear power to generate the hydrogen, it will most certainly not be ecologically friendly. Also, hypersonic flight itself is extremely inefficient.

Tree hugging hippie crap aside, hypersonic flight is very cool. Their website shows a hybrid jet/rocket engine: http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/sabre.html

Unfortunately, though, what we have here is neither a real company nor a real project. It's just press for the purpose of generating revenue.
 
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FAQ: Hypersonic Flight: Europe to Australia in 5 hrs with Liquid Hydrogen

What is hypersonic flight?

Hypersonic flight refers to speeds that are higher than five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5. This translates to approximately 3,800 miles per hour.

How is liquid hydrogen used in hypersonic flight?

Liquid hydrogen is used as a fuel source for hypersonic flight because it has a high energy density and burns cleanly. It also has a low molecular weight, allowing for faster acceleration and higher speeds.

What are the benefits of hypersonic flight?

The main benefit of hypersonic flight is the potential for significantly reduced travel time, such as the proposed Europe to Australia trip in 5 hours. This could greatly benefit industries such as tourism and business, as well as provide faster access to emergency aid in times of crisis.

What are the challenges of achieving hypersonic flight?

There are several challenges that must be overcome to achieve hypersonic flight, including developing materials that can withstand the extreme heat and pressure of hypersonic speeds, designing efficient propulsion systems, and ensuring the safety and stability of the aircraft.

Is hypersonic flight a sustainable form of travel?

While hypersonic flight has the potential to greatly reduce travel time and increase efficiency, it also requires a large amount of energy and resources. Further research and development is needed to make hypersonic flight a sustainable form of travel for the future.

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