A new scramjet,
supersonic airplane to replace the Concorde? The Japanese
Space Agency, JAXA, is considering teaming up with the National Aeronautics and Space Agency, NASA, to develop a twenty-first century version of that European economic debacle. There are several advantages to this model which the Concorde did not have. However, such a
plane could be a long way in the future, and there are also traditional disadvantages to supersonic planes. The Japanese Space Agency is considering teaming up with NASA after having several setbacks with their space program. Furthermore, some of them note that much space and
air technology is being researched by international teams rather than by only scientists from one country. Therefore, their allying themselves with NASA to create a scramjet-enabled airplane is rather logical. The Japanese have already developed an engine which can reach speeds of around Mach 5.5. The scramjet—which utilizes oxygen in the air to combust with fuel at high speeds—is the primary advantage of the plane which the Concorde did not have. Also, the Japanese estimate that their plane would have about one percent the noise that the Franco-English jet produced. Thus, they predict that their plane would make less noise and could travel faster than its predecessor. Also, with travel routes across the Pacific Ocean, which is generally much wider in width than the Atlantic—the
Ocean crossed by the Concorde—and with the burgeoning trade between the Americas and Asia, their could be more incentive for travel on such an airplane. Yet there would also be a number of disadvantages. Even with the scramjet, the plane would consume a large amount of fuel. Furthermore, Japanese attempts to launch their scramjets over the Australian Outback have had a couple of their devices break apart in the air or crash, or both. Until the Japanese produce a reliable jet, a passenger plane would be only a consideration. Also, NASA has not yet agreed to team up with JAXA to produce such an aeronautical vehicle. The Japanese concept of a supersonic plane crossing the Pacific Ocean is much more economically sound than the concept of crossing the Atlantic Ocean which the Anglo-French governments had given the increasing trade across the Pacific Ocean. The Japanese plane could be practical rather than a luxury for the rich to turn a flight of around a few hours into a flight of around half an hour. Still, there are many obstacles to move before the Japanese theorized plane takes flight.
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