New supersonic jet test a success

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[ Concorde: The Next Generation. -Ed. ]

http://www.theage.com.au/news/NATION...796434617.html

Supersonic jet test hailed a success
October 10, 2005 - 9:19AM

Japan has hailed the test of a supersonic jet in South Australia's
outback as a success.

The model of the supersonic jet, planned to be a successor to the
Concorde, was launched from a site near Woomera in SA's north about 7am
CST on Monday.

The last test flight of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
jet ended disastrously in 2002 when the unmanned prototype model
crashed to earth and exploded moments after being launched.

But JAXA said the trial was successful.

"It went well, it was successful," JAXA spokeswoman Mayuni Onodera
said.

Monday's launch occurred at Woomera's abandoned British rocket testing
range and was delayed several days due to bad weather.

JAXA said it would hold a media conference on the test flight later on
Monday.

According to the test flight plan, the 11.5 metre model jet was to soar
to about 20km above the earth on the back of a rocket.

It was then to detach, reach more than twice the speed of sound and
glide back to earth on a parachute.

Data gained through the test will be used in joint research by Japan
and France towards a next-generation supersonic jet.

No budget projections have yet been made for the entire project, which
Japanese hope will produce a supersonic passenger jet capable of flying
from Tokyo to New York in just under six hours - less than half the
current time of a Concorde.

But doubts have been raised about whether the project will ever be
commercially viable given that the Concorde, which was retired two
years ago, never managed to turn a profit.

Japan aims for the supersonic jet to carry 300 passengers, three times
as many as the Concorde, and travel at Mach 2 which is twice the speed
of sound.

BL.
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Brad Littlejohn | Email:
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