BRITS could soon fly halfway across the world in just two hours under radical plans to completely shake up international travel.
Long-haul times could be slashed within the next 10 years with commercial flights travelling via space to faraway destinations.
VirginBrits could soon fly halfway across the world in just two hours[/caption]
APLong-haul times could be slashed within the next 10 years[/caption]
The UK Civil Aviation Authority is funding studies into the physical effects of ‘suborbital’ flights – where passengers would be blasted into space briefly before landing at their destinations in rapid time.
Sir Richard Branson‘s Virgin Galactic and Jeff Bezos‘ Blue Origin currently sell seats on suborbital flights for an eye-watering £350,000 each.
However regulators believe they will soon drop in price and be available to all travellers.
Dr Ryan Anderton, the CAA’s medical lead for space flight, told The Times: “Point-to-point travel [via space] is definitely not science fiction, it is being worked on.
“My understanding is there are people knocking at the door asking about this. So [it will happen] a lot sooner than people think… Certainly less than ten years.”
Suborbital flights would cut the travel time of a London to Sydney trip from about 22 hours to just two hours.
Research conducted by King’s College London and facilitated by the Royal Air Force found that passengers on these flights would not have to be extremely fit or young to withstand the physical effects.
G-forces on suborbital flights can reach up to six times the usual force of Earth‘s gravity but would only last for seconds upon descent.
Dr Anderton said most passengers would experience “benign” physical effects.
It comes amid plans for a Michelin star restaurant to open on “the edge of space”.
While the views and the food will be stunning – the experience will set you back a pretty penny.
Pre-reservation tickets are going for an eyewatering 10,000 euros a head, and to book out the entire capsule will 120,000 euros.
Zephalto is currently selling “pre-reservation tickets” for upcoming trips in a pressurised capsule, dubbed Celeste, which is attached to a stratospheric balloon.
Inside the capsule, diner will ascend to an altitude of 25kilometers (15.5 miles) into the sky.
This allows guests to observe the curvature of the Earth and twinkling stars as they dine in the height of luxury.
Celeste is set to ferry six passengers and two pilots to maximum altitude in just 90 minutes, at a speed of four meters per second.
The capsule will then float above Earth for three hours, leaving Earth’s high-flyers time to enjoy a multiple-course meal.
VirginA journey from London to Sydney in only two hours could be plausible[/caption]
AFPExperts say it could happen in the next decade[/caption]