EADS is working on an aerospace plane that would connect Paris to Tokyo in 2:30 - LeMonde.fr

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EADS  is  working  on  an  aerospace plane  that  would  connect  Paris  to Tokyo in 2:30   

Proposed space plane for EADS. AFP / -

In 2050, passengers may board a space plane that will travel to Tokyo from Paris in 2 h 30 min and will not pollute the planet because it will fly in the stratosphere.  In any case, it is the bold project of EADS, the large European aerospace group.

Since  the  tragic death  of  Concorde,  the  idea  of an  airplane  of  high  speed  seemed  abandoned, manufacturers seeking to make their devices lighter and therefore consume less kerosene. The super sonic aircraft had became unaffordable.  But on the eve of the Paris Air Show, EADS, owner of Airbus, has unveiled his plan Zehst ( "Zero Emission High Speed ​​Transport " ), a hypersonic plane - even faster than supersonic - which aims is zero CO2 emissions.
"The aircraft of the future as I imagine Zehst" said Jean Botti , Mr. "innovation" of EADS.A model of 4 meters of the plane, whose shape is surprisingly close to the supersonic Concorde, will be presented at Le Bourget, high mass of the aircraft which opened Monday to professionals and the general public Thursday.A step in the future when Airbus announced nearly two years behind two versions of its new A350 long-haul, including a time required to equip the A350-1000 with an engine more efficient.
BIOFUELS seaweed
The Zehst contains all the ingredients for the best novel of science fiction.Takeoff is fairly standard, except that its engines are fueled with biofuels from algae, is Jean Botti, Chief Operating Officer Technology and Innovation at EADS.Once it took a bit of altitude, it switches to engine type rocket.And here, the motors do not work with algae but hydrogen and oxygen.They are "totally clean and emit only water vapor" .
The air then rises up to 32 km altitude, cruising altitude.A conventional airplane flying at 10,000 feet.For the passenger does not feel the effect "big eight" , seat tilt.The advantage of this time, "you pollute more, you are in the stratosphere, pollution is transparent to us" , argues Jean Botti.For landing, the pilot cuts the engine and begins its descent in a glider before landing by delivering conventional engines of the aircraft.
MARKETING TO 2050
For Mr. Botti, "the solution (green) is on the edge of space. It's not a plane, not a rocket is a rocket plane commercial" .The Zehst, with a capacity of 50 to 100 people, is currently a draft.While EADS has a schedule: a first demonstrator around 2020, for commissioning by 2050.At that time, space and aviation landscape has certainly changed a lot, however, especially with the advent of emerging countries.And EADS was created 10 years ago only.Therefore difficult to project to such deadlines.However, a spokesman for EADS, the project has a good chance of success, the necessary technologies are already developed.
Rocket engines already exist: Astrium, EADS Space, the space tourism develops.The algae-based fuels are ready, he said.In addition, the Zehst is thought together with Japan and with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) French.Despite these projects mad scientist, Jean Botti recognizes that research can not advanced by small steps: first think of commercial aircraft based on environmentally sustainable technologies, for 20 to 25 people.Then increase to 50, 100 and then 200 people, a medium-capacity traditional mail.
EADS is working on an aerospace plane that would connect Paris to Tokyo in 2:30 - LeMonde.fr