Travel anywhere on Earth in one hour.
“This civilian hypersonic flight technology can carry passengers anywhere on earth in one hour.” says the China’s biggest funder of scientific research
China heated up the talk about ‘Manned Spaceflight’ with its new technology ‘Winged Rocket’. The Chinese company ‘Space Transportation’ (Beijing Lingkong Tianxing Technology Co., Ltd.) unveils that this suborbital vehicle is way faster than a traditional plane and cheaper than rockets that carry satellites. China’s new technology ‘Rocket with Wings’ is supposed to cover 7000 miles per hour.
A demonstration video on the website of “Space Transportation” shows a suborbital vehicle standing vertically supported by wings with two rockets on either side. These rockets help in boosting the speed of the plane. During take off, the plane detaches itself from the rockets and continues its journey of point-to-point transportation, meanwhile the rockets return to their initial position.
Chinese Suborbital Flight Is Actually Cost Effective
This manned aircraft is designed to be cost effective. The winged rocket is cheaper than the rockets that carry satellites, says the Firm in an interview with Yicheng Times. The booster rockets can be used repeatedly after the recovery period of one week.
The Space Transportation also shared that The Winged Rocket doesn’t need a dedicated space to take off. This aircraft can take off from any usual airport.
China’s winged rocket defeating the speed of concorde
This newly developed technology has the speed of 7000 mph which is almost twice of the speed of the Concorde.The flight from Beijing, China to London, UK usually takes around 11 hours in a traditional plane. However, the Winged Rocket can cover the distance in only 1 hour.
The ‘Winged Rocket’ might be ready to take the air by 2024
The first ground test is planned next year, 2023 followed by the first flight in 2024. The first crewed test is expected to be held by 2025. China seems confident about its futuristic plan of newly invented technology and suggests that the ‘Rocket with Wings’ will be ready to take to the air by this decade.
The Space Transportation has also unveiled that it had raised $46.3 millions for hypersonic suborbital vehicle plans in series A financing in August, 2021. Total of $60 million has been raised since 2018. The Company had also done 9 flight tests for hypersonic suborbital flights.
China’s Hypersonic Jet Entering the race of Space Technology
Up till now, only the US had this honor of being the only State with manned aircraft technology.
Previously, SpaceX has launched the first ever spacecraft ‘Dragon’ which can take up to 7 passengers to the Earth’s orbit and beyond. In 2010, SpaceX became the first private company to launch and operate a manned aircraft with its Dragon craft.
Unlike the Chinese company Space Transportation, the main goal of SpaceX is to preserve human life and return to the Moon and other planets.
Virgin Galactic Vs Space Transportation
Similarly, Virgin Galactic, another US space tourism company founded by Richard Branson launched its VSS Unity craft in 2018. Unluckily, the ticket for space tourism in Virgin Galactic costs a fortune. The cost of a ticket is $45,000 which includes the custom made suits and two days flight training. This makes it reserved for only the wealthiest.
Interestingly China’s Space Transportation has joined the race goal and shares the same goal as the US’s Virgin Galactic. Both the companies are focused on suborbital flights.
China Took The US Military By Surprise
China astounded the US military last year with its secret missile test. The rocket carrying hypersonic glide landed 2-dozen miles away from the target. Although the flight missed its target, it could be seen that China has significantly progressed in making advanced hypersonic weapons.
The developers did not give out much information regarding its new development of manned spacecraft. However, China being in the list of top 10 developed countries, It is interesting to see China getting into the race of spacecraft technology. Though it is another debate about this technology being an affordable option for space tourism. What are your thoughts about it?
