Next generation supersonic transport
Next Generation Supersonic Transport is the working title of a new supersonic aircraft that the Japanese space agency JAXA is working on. In 2005, the plan was to put the first aircraft into service by 2015 . So far, no airworthy prototype has been built.
Next involved Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries , Kawasaki Heavy Industries , Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Fuji Heavy Industries . Boeing and NASA are considering getting involved in the project.
The JAXA sees the aircraft in response to the increasing demand for passenger capacity. The aircraft is designed to carry more passengers over long distances in less time. For example, there are plans to cover the route New York - Tokyo in six hours.
The aircraft should have space for 300 passengers and reach a cruising speed of over Mach 2 . The Japanese engineers have placed high demands on themselves: They want to build an aircraft that is quiet, environmentally friendly, comfortable and economical to operate.
history
In June 2005 at the international aviation trade fair in Paris Le Bourget , representatives from France and Japan signed the first cooperation agreements for the construction of a successor to Concorde . For the next three years, both countries intend to jointly bear annual research costs of 1.5 million. Allegedly, plans for the Tupolev Tu-244 supersonic aircraft were bought. This aircraft is now to be built on this basis.
On October 10, 2005 there was a first test flight with a model over Australia . A launcher carried the model to a height of 19 km and released it. The model then flew at Mach 2 for about 15 minutes before parachuting to the ground. It is hoped that new knowledge will be gained about the materials used at high speeds. According to Japanese figures, the cost of the test amounts to 8.2 million euros.