NEW YORK, June 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. aerospace leader Boeing has unveiled its plans for what could be the world's first hypersonic airliner, capable of flying at five times the speed of sound.
With top speeds exceeding 3,800 miles per hour, the proposed hypersonic jet could shuttle passengers from New York to London in just two hours. Currently, the trip takes seven to eight hours.
The Chicago-based aviation giant revealed the renderings of the aircraft concept Tuesday at the annual American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics conference in Atlanta.
"Humankind has always wanted to go fast - always wanted to do things faster," said Kevin Bowcutt, chief scientists of hypersonics at Boeing.
"We are excited about the potential of hypersonic technology to connect the world faster than ever before," he said.
The concept is still in the early stages of development, as there are key technical challenges that need to be solved, said Boeing spokesperson Brianna Jackson.
But it is possible that the concept could become a reality in 20 to 30 years, she added.
Boeing has been testing ultra-fast technology for decades, which could be used for both military and commercial applications, according to the company.
Besides Boeing, other companies such as Lockheed Martin and Aerion Corporation are also working to develop hypersonic aircrafts, the CNN reported.
