Reaction Engines A2
| A2 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Artist's concept of the Reaction Engines A2 | |
| Role | Hypersonic Airliner |
| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | Undetermined |
| Designer | Reaction Engines Limited |
| Status | Design study |
The Reaction Engines Limited A2 (called the A2) is a design study for a hypersonic speed jet airliner intended to provide environmentally friendly, long range, high capacity commercial transportation. The aircraft was designed by the British aerospace engineering firm Reaction Engines Limited, who plans to develop it into a working aircraft within 25 years once there is market demand for it. The aircraft is being examined as part of the LAPCAT programme of the European Union, but has not yet been commercially launched.
The vehicle is intended to have about 20,000 kilometres (12,000 mi) range and good subsonic and supersonic speed fuel efficiency, thus avoiding the problems inherent in earlier supersonic aircraft. The top speed is projected to be Mach 5+. It calls for the use of liquid hydrogen as a fuel, which has twice the specific impulse of kerosene, and can be used to cool the vehicle and the air entering the engines via a precooler.
Our work shows that it is possible technically; now it's up to the world to decide if it wants it.
The developers say it would be able to fly from Brussels to Sydney in about 4.6 hours, compared to around a complete day of travel with normal aircraft. The cost of a ticket is intended to be roughly business class level.
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Wikipedia