Swiss startup Destinus is developing a new hypersonic aircraft, which promises to revolutionize commercial aviation.
With the ability to fly up to five times the speed of sound, the new rocket plane, if it gets off the ground, could reduce travel from São Paulo to Rome, for example, for just over two hours.
To achieve this incredible speed, the company is developing technology that uses hydrogen as fuel, which is much lighter than the kerosene used in conventional planes.
Thus, the aircraft could fly on top of shock waves created by itself, reducing air resistance and making flight more efficient.
Although the company is still working on more modest models, two successful tests have already been carried out and, by next year, the destiny plans to make the maiden flight of its hydrogen-powered Destinus 3 prototype, which is about 10 meters long.
The expectation is that, in the next decade, the first smaller aircraft for around 25 passengers will be launched, and, in the 2040s, a fully commercial plane with different classes.
However, the company will face several challenges, including hydrogen production. Even though the company is working on a way to use conventional jet fuel for takeoffs and later switch to hydrogen when the plane reaches speeds of approximately Mach 3, the long-term goal is for the aircraft to be powered exclusively by hydrogen and produce zero emissions. .
Although it seems incredible, we still have to wait and see if Destinus will be able to face all the challenges and put its hypersonic aircraft into commercial operation. But if this happens, it will certainly be a big breakthrough in commercial aviation.
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