Mis sil.es/Space Interview Do you see any
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October 196l
civilian carry-over frorn the technical lessons
Yeso The technological by-product could be a transatlantic capabl.e of bringing Lond.on and Paris witJrin two-hour comrnuting distance of New York. Such aa aircraft would probably be powered by a rnulti-engiae chernical power plaat capable of carrying 120 passengers and moving at speeds three tirnes that of
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sou:rdo Detailed aerodynarnic, therrnodynarnic and. d.esign studies rnade by us indicate tleat such an aircraft is within the realrn of current engineeripg.
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As a step beyond a supersonic transport such as this, we can envision cornrnercial. airliners being built upon the lessons learned in developrnent of theb:ypersonic aircraft r rnentioned. 'we would, of course, have to tailor tJ:is design for cornrnercial use; reproportioaing the engines, etco r but techaically it could result in a practical vehicle for gl.obal air transportation. rts rEmge would be in the order of 11r 500 rniles alrd it would travel at approxirnately Maeh 10 (7,300 mph) or Mach tz 18r 500 rnph), carryiag sorre 200 passengerso
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. A cornrnercial vehicle of such speed and range, bringing every point in the world within reasonable comrnuting distance of one another, would in my opinion have tremendous irnpact on hurnan relations. It would bring people together as they have never been before.
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