Since Neil Armstrong, space exploration has captured the best minds on Earth for decades, and China's new space place design could represent yet another giant leap for mankind. The spacecraft concept would be able to take off from a regular airplane runway, reach hypersonic speeds, enter the Earth's orbit, and land back on the same runway more or less ready to repeat the process.
The space plane concept comes from the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Its design will allow for horizontal takeoff through the use of several different engines working in conjunction with one another. Because it will be able to take off and land horizontally, like a jet plane, the space plane will be able to be reused with only minimal repairs between flights.
Hypersonic Space Planes
This Chinese Design Will Take Off from a Runway and Enter Earth's Orbit
Trend Themes
1. Hypersonic Space Planes - New, reusable, hypersonic space plane designs could revolutionize space travel with faster and cheaper access to space for governments and private companies.
2. Horizontal Takeoff and Landing (HTOL) Technology - The combination of different engines and technologies for horizontal takeoff and landing could have significant applications outside of space travel, such as improving aircraft efficiency and safety on Earth.
3. Reusable Spaceships - Developments in reusable spaceships will pave the way for a new era of space research, tourism, and transportation, bringing about novel business models and industries that were previously impossible.
Industry Implications
1. Aerospace and Defense - These new hypersonic space plane designs will have a great impact on the aerospace and defense industry, and companies involved in space exploration and government agencies could see significant benefits from these technological innovations.
2. Transportation - The HTOL technology used in these space planes could have major implications in the transportation industry and could lead to improved efficiency and safety in air travel, particularly for long-haul flights.
3. Tourism - The development of reusable spaceships could also open up new frontiers for space tourism, creating a new industry that could bring significant revenue and economic opportunities to the space travel sector.