China to Develop Plane Able to Fly Five Times Faster Than SoundChinese researchers are working on an aircraft that can fly five times faster than the speed of sound and travel around the globe in just seven hours.A Chinese "hypersonic" aircraft, able to cover 6,105 kilometers (3,815 miles) an hour, could be developed in ten to 15 years, said the Chinese Academy of Sciences. "It will be key in the world aviation and space field to develop hypersonic aircraft in the 21st century," said Zhuang Fenggan, a member of the academy. Chinese researchers had upgraded "hypersonic wind tunnel research equipment" as part of efforts to build the aircraft. The United States, Russia, France and Germany are all conducting research on hypersonic aircraft, without so far succeeding in producing a plane that can actually be used. |
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