Concorde could return to the skies as NASA develops future version of supersonic jet
A CONCORDE-style passenger jet could be reborn as NASA prepares to design the next generation of supersonic airplanes.
Artist impression of one of the possible designs
Commercial flights jetting passengers round the globe at the speed of sound, which became a thing of the past after the July 2000 Air France Concorde disaster, could resume if a £1.5million research project develops a new financially-viable and quieter aircraft.
The cash will be spent on eight research projects to address challenges like noise reduction of sonic booms and the environmental impact of supersonic travel due to fears over damage to the ozone layer.
On July 25 2000, all 109 people on board Air France Flight 4590 perished after it caught fire soon after take off and crashed into a hotel, killing four more on the ground.
The famous status symbol aircraft never recovered and after it began making losses both British Airways and Air France, the only two airlines to operate it, grounded the fleet for good in October 2003.
Now NASA is looking at a modern safer, quieter and faster version.
This possibility appears like a cross between a space craft and a plane
A British Airways Concorde
Lessening sonic booms - shock waves caused by an aircraft flying faster than the speed of sound - is the most significant hurdle to reintroducing commercial supersonic flight.
Peter Coen, head of the High Speed Project in Nasa’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, Washington, said: "Lessening sonic booms - shock waves caused by an aircraft flying faster than the speed of sound - is the most significant hurdle to reintroducing commercial supersonic flight.
"Other barriers include high altitude emissions, fuel efficiency and community noise around airports."
Another project looks at environmental impacts in the stratosphere and improving engines to cut emissions as fears over ozone damage led to the US cutting funding for supersonic flights back in 1971.
NASA engineer Ruben Del Rosario said: "We are nowhere near the maximum that we can get out of this industry. There is a lot of work to do."
NASA has also been investigating increasing speed further through a hybrid wing body, in which the wing blends almost seamlessly into the body of the craft.
Horrific scene as the Air France Concorde took off in flames
The 2000 Air france crash site