I cannot get over the scramjet tests, damn

[commander bunnypants]

5000mph. That is just honking fast. I volunteer for the first human tests. Strap me in doc and where is the accelerator.


DDQM

[mobuto]

1. As long as they find a way to land it

Because being intentionally flown into the Pacific Ocean at 5000 mph is not my idea of a comfortable landing.

[commander bunnypants]

2. kaboom

smashed to smithereens. But what a way to go.

DDDQM

[Rabrrrrrr]

5. Yeah, being able to stop on a dime is fine and well

But the real issue is whether the stuff inside can do the same. :-)

[LynzM]

3. I know.

It's crazy... Yikes. I mean, that's here to Europe in less time than it takes me to get out to visit the family. Sheesh!

[mobuto]

6. New York to Sydney in under two hours

New York to London in 40 minutes.

Insane.

[Rabrrrrrr]

8. Amazing - I could get to London in less time that it takes me to get

to the Staten Island Ferry from Harlem.

[mobuto]

13. Moreover, if you flew to London

you'd be in London, whereas if you took the Staten Island Ferry, you'd be in Staten Island. I'll take London.

[Rabrrrrrr]

14. LOL!

So true, so true.

[KissMyAsscroft]

4. Its mind boggling that they reached 5000 MPH.

I mean...how long ago were they struggling with the speed of sound and now we are doing 5000. It's really hard to wrap your mind around that speed.

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. New York to Tokyo in 2 hours

Imagine - Much of the world no further away than NYC is from, say, Albany (taking into account travel time to and from the airports, etc.).

Not bad!

Long distance relationships would be much easier, and not much different than having your honey a few hundred miles by car. Weekend get togethers no problem (except for the obvious problem of people who are 15 hours apart by time zone)

[fryguy]

9. The Gipper's Dream Lives On....

Wasn't he the one who talked about airliners zipping around the world at Mach 4.....I'm sure we'll have 40 mins. NY-London right about the same time we all drive to the airport in hydrogen cars, or vacation to Dubya's moon-base-stop-over on the way to Mars....

[klook]

10. Not so fast, Buck Rogers

It will be a while before these are ready for human flight, according to a March 26, 2004 piece on NPR.

In the foreseeable future, the scramjets will be used primarily for weapons delivery. So this is really about blowing somebody up who's a few time zones away.

[commander bunnypants]

12. Oh I know

at least 2025. But what a fantasy. Then it will be ion engines, then plasma engines. Then the big warp, then trans-warp.

I love stuff like this. and the planes I like to ride on cant go over 200 mph.

Call me Duck Dodgers

[boobooday]

11. I used to live at Edwards AFB

I'll tell you, those test pilots do have a lot of fun. I saw a very sad and spectacular crash there too, once.

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