Latest news with #StargazerM4
Metro
14-05-2025
- Business
- Metro
Successful test flight for company aiming to travel London to New York in 1 hour
Venus Aerospace says it has successfully tested a rocket engine that could make hypersonic jet travel a reality. It is hoped the engine could enable planes to travel four to six times the speed of sound from a conventional airport runway, making going from London to New York comparable to a trip to France. The Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE) launched from Spaceport America in New Mexico this morning, after months of testing in controlled conditions. Sarah 'Sassie' Duggleby, CEO and co-founder, said: 'This is the moment we've been working toward for five years. We've proven that this technology works – not just in simulations or the lab, but in the air.' Their ultimate goal is to develop the Stargazer M4, a Mach 4 reusable passenger aircraft, that would fly close to the edge of space. Speaking with Metro before the launch, Ms Duggleby said the key difference with their engine compared to traditional rockets is that it is more efficient, so can carry less fuel. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Calling the tech the 'holy grail' of rocket engines, Ms Duggleby told Metro the main challenge was stopping it getting so hot that it melted. 'My favorite analogy is it's like lighting a fire in a wax fireplace, and you have to keep the wax from melting,' she said. 'It's really hot. So it's almost like you would send ice water through the wax to pull out the heat, and you keep doing that over and over again.' She founded the company with rocket scientist husband Andrew Duggleby in 2020, and since then has secured millions of pounds in investment, and interest from Nasa. If test flights continue to go to plan, a jet could potentially travel at 3,600mph and Ms Duggleby said that going from San Francisco to Tokyo could then become a 'day trip' in two hours, compared to the 13 hours it is currently. Scott McLaughlin, executive director at Spaceport America, said: 'Spaceport America was created to make space history, and Venus Aerospace delivered a milestone moment for hypersonics today. 'Getting a rotating detonation rocket engine to the launch pad is an achievement few thought possible in such a short time. We're thrilled to host innovators like Venus, whose breakthroughs are redefining what's possible in spaceflight.' The technology could go on to be used in both defence and commercial flight. Mrs Duggleby said the experience of flying in a plane this fast would be much the same as being in a plane currently (except with a better view, as you would be further up). Humans wouldn't suffer too much because we can withstand travelling quickly as long as it happens gradually. More Trending 'As long as the human body has gentle acceleration up to that speed, then we don't care if we're going 1,000 miles per hour, or 500 miles per hour or 20 miles per hour,' she said. Andrew Duggleby, co-founder and chief technology officer, said: 'Rotating detonation has been a long-sought gain in performance. 'Venus' RDRE solved the last but critical steps to harness the theoretical benefits. 'We've built an engine that not only runs, but runs reliably and efficiently—and that's what makes it scalable. This is the foundation we need that, combined with a ramjet, completes the system from take-off to sustained hypersonic flight.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Life and everything we know in the universe will end sooner than we thought MORE: Huge chunk of Soviet rocket may have broken up over southern England MORE: Out-of-control Soviet spacecraft crashes back to Earth after 50 years
Scottish Sun
01-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Hypersonic 3,800mph ‘Stargazer' jet could now blast from London to NYC in 1 hour after Nasa-funded rocket engine upgrade
A HYPERSONIC jet could soar at thousands of miles an hour – slashing the flight time between London and New York to just over an hour thanks to a Nasa-funded engine upgrade. The Venus Stargazer has a flight range of 5,000 miles, and is set to arrive "as soon as the 2030s". 8 Venus Aerospace is working on a hypersonic plane Credit: venusaerospace 8 It could reach cruising speeds of 3,800mph Credit: venusaerospace 8 A Nasa-backed engine upgrade could make Mach 5 flights possible Credit: YouTube/@venusaerospace Venus Aerospace, its creator, recently completed revealed it was planning a flight demo "later this summer". The company said that thanks to a Nasa-funded breakthrough, the "record-setting" engine system is nearly ready to try out for real. Venus hopes that its rocket engine will be able to blast passengers around the Earth in record time. "Stargazer M4 is Earth's first hypersonic, reusable aircraft," Venus Aerospace boasted. "No one has ever built a hypersonic platform that makes two-hour global transport cost-effective. Until now. "Our flagship product, Stargazer, will ascend from a central airport using advanced propulsion systems. "Our vehicle will accelerate from taxi to cruise speeds of Mach 4 at 110,000 feet with a top speed capable of Mach 9." The engine is set to feature a new Nasa-funded nozzle design. That's the part of the rocket that "shapes and directs power". This hi-tech nozzle will reportedly allow for speeds exceeding Mach 5 – or about 3,800mph. "We've already proven our engine outperforms traditional systems on both efficiency and size," said Venus Aerospace chief Sassie Duggleby. Inside nuclear-powered 'Skytanic' hotel that can stay airborne for months with 360 degree views & room for 5,000 guests "The technology we developed with NASA's support will now be part of our integrated engine platform. "Bringing us one step closer to proving that efficient, compact, and affordable hypersonic flight can be scaled." Typical flight distance between London and New York City is around 3,450 miles. Even at Mach 4 cruising speeds (around 3,070mph), the journey would take just over an hour. 8 Hypersonic flights could be here as soon as the 2030s, according to Vertical Aerospace Credit: venusaerospace 8 The company hopes that passengers will be able to reach anywhere in the world in a matter of hours Credit: YouTube/@venusaerospace 8 Flights would cruise at altitudes of 170,000 feet – far higher than a Boeing 747, which usually cruises at between 35,000 and 40,000 feet Credit: YouTube/@venusaerospace Venus Aerospace says that its rocket engine could be used for lots of different flight types. That includes: Spacecraft landers Low-Earth-orbit satellites Space cargo transfer vehicles Rocket kick-stages Hypersonic drones and missiles The company completed a supersonic flight test of a drone early last year. VENUS STARGAZER BY THE NUMBERS Here's what you need to know... Weight: 150,000 pounds Length: 150 feet Width: 100 feet Top speed: Mach 9 (6,900mph) Actual cruising speed: Mach 4/5 (3,000-3,800mph) Cruising altitude: 170,000 feet Picture Credit: Venus Aerospace It saw the rocket firm blast a 300lb machine to Mach 0.9 (690mph) during a 10-mile flight. Now Venus is hoping that its new Nasa-funded engine nozzle will allow for a proper flight test, bringing a 2030 commercial launch closer to reality. "This is just the beginning of what can be achieved with Venus propulsion technology," said Venus Aerospace's tech chief Andrew Duggleby. "We've built a compact, high-performance system that unlocks speed, range, and agility across aerospace, defense, and many other applications. 8 The Venus Stargazer could potentially reach top speeds of Mach 9 Credit: YouTube/@venusaerospace 8 Mach 9 speeds would bring the craft close to 7,000mph Credit: YouTube/@venusaerospace "And we're confident in its readiness for flight." It comes after a massive plane dubbed the 'Skytanic' is set to take to the skies by 2030. The US is reportedly planning for a 'Son of Blackbird' jet that could become the world's fastest plane. And another hypersonic jet could whisk passengers from London to Sydney in just two hours.
The Sun
01-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Hypersonic 3,800mph ‘Stargazer' jet could now blast from London to NYC in 1 hour after Nasa-funded rocket engine upgrade
Sean Keach, Head of Technology and Science Published: Invalid Date, A HYPERSONIC jet could soar at thousands of miles an hour – slashing the flight time between London and New York to just over an hour thanks to a Nasa-funded engine upgrade. The Venus Stargazer has a flight range of 5,000 miles, and is set to arrive "as soon as the 2030s". 8 8 8 Venus Aerospace, its creator, recently completed revealed it was planning a flight demo "later this summer". The company said that thanks to a Nasa-funded breakthrough, the "record-setting" engine system is nearly ready to try out for real. Venus hopes that its rocket engine will be able to blast passengers around the Earth in record time. " Stargazer M4 is Earth's first hypersonic, reusable aircraft," Venus Aerospace boasted. "No one has ever built a hypersonic platform that makes two-hour global transport cost-effective. Until now. "Our flagship product, Stargazer, will ascend from a central airport using advanced propulsion systems. "Our vehicle will accelerate from taxi to cruise speeds of Mach 4 at 110,000 feet with a top speed capable of Mach 9." The engine is set to feature a new Nasa-funded nozzle design. That's the part of the rocket that "shapes and directs power". This hi-tech nozzle will reportedly allow for speeds exceeding Mach 5 – or about 3,800mph. "We've already proven our engine outperforms traditional systems on both efficiency and size," said Venus Aerospace chief Sassie Duggleby. Inside nuclear-powered 'Skytanic' hotel that can stay airborne for months with 360 degree views & room for 5,000 guests "The technology we developed with NASA's support will now be part of our integrated engine platform. "Bringing us one step closer to proving that efficient, compact, and affordable hypersonic flight can be scaled." Typical flight distance between London and New York City is around 3,450 miles. Even at Mach 4 cruising speeds (around 3,070mph), the journey would take just over an hour. 8 8 8 Venus Aerospace says that its rocket engine could be used for lots of different flight types. That includes: Spacecraft landers Low-Earth-orbit satellites Space cargo transfer vehicles Rocket kick-stages Hypersonic drones and missiles The company completed a supersonic flight test of a drone early last year. It saw the rocket firm blast a 300lb machine to Mach 0.9 (690mph) during a 10-mile flight. Now Venus is hoping that its new Nasa-funded engine nozzle will allow for a proper flight test, bringing a 2030 commercial launch closer to reality. "This is just the beginning of what can be achieved with Venus propulsion technology," said Venus Aerospace's tech chief Andrew Duggleby. "We've built a compact, high-performance system that unlocks speed, range, and agility across aerospace, defense, and many other applications. 8 "And we're confident in its readiness for flight." It comes after a massive plane dubbed the 'Skytanic' is set to take to the skies by 2030. The US is reportedly planning for a 'Son of Blackbird' jet that could become the world's fastest plane.
