From London to New York in 90 minutes? This could soon be a reality

Going on holiday and getting from London to New York in just 90 minutes – sounds almost impossible. But it won't be in just a few years.

Atlanta – The Hermeus company is currently developing hypersonic aircraft that will carry passengers on transatlantic routes non-stop from London to New York in 90 minutes – at a speed of more than 4,800 kilometers per hour. Passengers could also cross the Pacific from L.A. to Tokyo in just two hours and 45 minutes with a stopover.

Mach 5 supersonic aircraft: faster than the speed of sound

Supersonic aircraft fly faster than the speed of sound: the latter is also called Mach 1. Hypersonic aircraft, on the other hand, fly at more than five times the speed of sound, including Mach 5. The start-up's goal is to make a passenger aircraft called Halcyon, "which can cover 125 transatlantic routes at Mach-5 speeds, a reality," according to Hermeus' website. However, the aircraft should only be able to carry 20 passengers at a time, according to the key data:

The Halcyon is a passenger aircraft designed to be able to fly at supersonic speeds. © Hermeus

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Mach-5 aircraft are under development for both the commercial and defense industries. According to media reports, the rise in territorial conflicts, as well as a boost in the development of hypersonic technology, boosted the global travel market. "Mach-5 aircraft have the potential to create an additional $4 billion in global economic growth per year, as well as significant resources that can be used to solve major world problems," the company said.

Hypersonic passenger aircraft: it should be launched on the market in a few years

The start-up from Atlanta, USA, is named after the Olympian deity Hermes, the messenger of the gods in Greek mythology, was founded in 2018 and is privately financed. Currently, the company is expanding beyond its headquarters: According to the start-up's website, there is now a $950 million partnership with the US Air Force. In the course of this, a new location was opened in Washington. However, there is still a long way to go before a hypersonic passenger aircraft can be used: It will not be possible to use the machines for commercial air travel until 2029.