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Hermeus Unveils Full-Scale Hypersonic Prototype Jet, Makes It Roar to Life

A jet capable of flying five times the speed commercial planes are nowadays traveling at would carry passengers from New York to London in a flight that would last only 90 minutes instead of seven hours – and that's exactly what Atlanta-based startup Hermeus is trying to achieve with its Quarterhorse aircraft. The company is already making great progress toward that goal, as it recently unveiled the full-scale prototype of its hypersonic aircraft and fired up its engine.
Hermeus unveils full-scale prototype of hypersonic aircraft Quarterhorse 6 photos
Photo: Hermeus
Hermeus Quarterhorse hypersonic prototypeHermeus Quarterhorse hypersonic prototypeHermeus Quarterhorse hypersonic prototypeHermeus Quarterhorse hypersonic prototypeHermeus Quarterhorse hypersonic prototype
It's no wonder Hermeus is moving fast with the development of the Quarterhorse. Earlier this year, the company joined forces with NASA to further mature its proprietary turbine-based combined cycle (TBCC) engine, and, more recently, it was awarded a $60 million contract by the U.S. Air Force to flight test its high-speed aircraft.

Last week, Hermeus unveiled the full-scale prototype and wowed the crowds present at the live event by making the jet roar to life. The TBCC engine, which is based on a General Electric J85 turbojet, was turned on, showing the audience what it can do at maximum afterburner throttle.

This prototype was not designed to fly but to highlight progress made on the hardware development and integration. However, with how fast things are moving the Hermeus team, we might also see the jet's maiden flight soon.

"Less than three years ago, this felt almost impossible. And it's gone from almost impossible, to possible, to probable today, and hopefully soon, real flight," said investor Vinod Khosla.

By the end of the flight campaign, the Quarterhorse is expected to become the world's fastest commercial aircraft, capable of flying at Mach 5 hypersonic speeds on 4,600-mile (7,403 km) distances. The hypersonic jet will also be fully reusable and autonomous, with pilots being capable of piloting the aircraft remotely.

You can watch the unveiling of the prototype in the video down below.

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About the author: Florina Spînu
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Florina taught herself how to drive in a Daewoo Tico (a rebadged Suzuki Alto kei car) but her first "real car" was a VW Golf. When she’s not writing about cars, drones or aircraft, Florina likes to read anything related to space exploration and take pictures in the middle of nature.
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