3 ms·

My aunt once rode the concord from Paris back home to NYC as an indulgence. She ended up sitting next to Jacque Cousteau of all people and had a fantastic time.

My aunt once rode the concord from Paris back home to NYC as an indulgence. She ended up sitting next to Jacque Cousteau of all people and had a fantastic time. It's one of her favorite stories. I'd check into Reaction Engines, and the concept of precooled jet engines in general. The math says they should be capable of efficient cruising at speeds up to mach 5. The question is if anyone can make the engineering practical and affordable. But in terms of pure possibility, there's wide open possibilities.

dclowd9901 3y ago
Isn’t the temperature on the body surface the big factor here? The sr-71 would heat up tremendously and it barely had any air pressure to contend with.
- jasonwatkinspdx 3y ago
  It's difficult but not a show stopper. Materials have come a long way. Also, a pre-cooled engine will be using cryogenic fuels so active cooling is an option, even desirable (some of these engines harvest energy from the precooler using turbines on the hot side). SpaceX thinks they can handle the thermal loads of Starship re-entry with ceramic tiles and stainless steel.
killjoywashere 3y ago
Recently got inside the Concorde used for testing, now at Duxford. That plane is much cozier than I thought, even with no seats. And the number of fuses is slightly crazy.
- giobox 3y ago
  The example at the Museum of Flight in Seattle (somewhat ironically resting at a Boeing factory...) still has original seating and the interior is open to the public - it's really cramped. What got me most though is the tiny portal of a window you got, due to the design constraints of supersonic flight etc. All that cost and prestige, but a cramped seat and no view.
  - Breza 3y ago
    Honestly, if I'm spending that much money for a ticket, I'd prefer luxury over speed. I don't know how many people would prefer a cramped supersonic aircraft over a trip that takes slightly longer and gives you a lay-down bed.

dclowd9901 3y ago

Isn’t the temperature on the body surface the big factor here? The sr-71 would heat up tremendously and it barely had any air pressure to contend with.

jasonwatkinspdx 3y ago
It's difficult but not a show stopper. Materials have come a long way. Also, a pre-cooled engine will be using cryogenic fuels so active cooling is an option, even desirable (some of these engines harvest energy from the precooler using turbines on the hot side). SpaceX thinks they can handle the thermal loads of Starship re-entry with ceramic tiles and stainless steel.

killjoywashere 3y ago

Recently got inside the Concorde used for testing, now at Duxford. That plane is much cozier than I thought, even with no seats. And the number of fuses is slightly crazy.

giobox 3y ago
The example at the Museum of Flight in Seattle (somewhat ironically resting at a Boeing factory...) still has original seating and the interior is open to the public - it's really cramped. What got me most though is the tiny portal of a window you got, due to the design constraints of supersonic flight etc. All that cost and prestige, but a cramped seat and no view.
- Breza 3y ago
  Honestly, if I'm spending that much money for a ticket, I'd prefer luxury over speed. I don't know how many people would prefer a cramped supersonic aircraft over a trip that takes slightly longer and gives you a lay-down bed.