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China’s New Spaceplane to Fly Passengers Anywhere in the World at Over 2,600 MPH

Are we headed towards a future where the notion of speed is redefined? The fast-growing spaceplane development sector seems to be pointing that way. Whether it’s for advancing space tourism through orbital flights, or for taking commercial flights to the next level, spaceplanes are gearing up to play an important part in the future of aerospace.
The Tianxing I rocket will be launched with a spaceplane attached to it 8 photos
Photo: Space Transportation
Tianxing ITianxing ITianxing ITianxing ITianxing ITianxing ITianxing I
A lot of us associate the term “hypersonic” with military-related projects, such as missile development. But commercial aviation is also trying to revive the concept of ultra-fast flight. A Chinese company is developing what it calls “a rocket with wings,” more specifically, a spaceplane that will take off attached to a rocket.

Getting from London to New York in just one hour sounds very exciting, and this is the type of promise that the Chinese startup Space Transportation is making. Its Tianxing I spaceplane will be attached to a rocket that will be launched vertically, then detach when it reaches a certain altitude, and continue flying at over 2,600 mph (4,180 kph) Daily Mail reports.

The Beijing-based company has been developing the Tianxing I since 2015. According to Space News, government decisions that opened the Chinese launch and small satellite sector to private capital led the way for a new generation of aerospace companies to take off. Also, some of these companies were even given access to military information, in order to develop groundbreaking dual-use technology at lower costs.

Space Transportation was part of “the second wave” of commercial launch firms that have risen to the surface since then. Back in 2019, it conducted the first demonstration of its future rocket. Called Jiageng-1, and developed together with the Xiamen University, the rocket reached a maximum altitude of 16 miles (26 km) and a top speed of 2,600 mph (4,300 kph).

Flight tests will continue until next year, but the Tianxing It is set to carry out its first crewed flight in 2025. Plus, Space Transportation also plans to launch an orbital version of the spaceplane by the end of the decade.
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About the author: Otilia Drăgan
Otilia Drăgan profile photo

Otilia believes that if it’s eco, green, or groundbreaking, people should know about it (especially if it's got wheels or wings). Working in online media for over five years, she's gained a deeper perspective on how people everywhere can inspire each other.
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