Mach 20 – Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 1
Flight at Mac 20? The Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 1 (HTV-1) is a joint program between the US Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) designed to attain close to Mach to as early as September of 2007.
The aircraft (artist rendering above via Russ Partch) will exit the earth’s atmosphere before reentering and attaining the extremely high speed. The aircraft will end its flight in the Pacific Ocean.
Subsequent flights are then planned for 2008 and 2009 to attempt reaching Mach 22.
“We have made great progress and are on track for the first glided hypersonic test vehicle flight in 2007,” said Russ Partch, Falcon HTV-1 project manager in the AFRL release. “It will enable a revolutionary capability to quickly respond to events anywhere around the world.”
landed on space.com.
I thought I’d read somewhere that there was some concern about aircraft going that speed, and the effect wind speeds would have on overall climate stability…
I guess the US Govt has decided it’s a non-issue?
Hi there “Administrator” :)
I think the difference could be the high altitude the speed will be attained at. Mach 20 near the earth’s surface is much different than Mach 20 near the edge of the atmosphere… Hopefully Mother Nature won’t get too upset.
;)
…the effect wind speeds would have on overall climate stability? are meteors slower than this one?
Mach 20 at sea level would be insane.