Destinus is a European aviation company in the aviation industry which is using hydrogen to test the limits of hydrogen fuel to cut carbon emissions. The aviation company has been working towards manufacturing a hypersonic passenger aircraft which will reportedly cover the distance between New York and London in 90 minutes.
A European aviation startup called Destinus has claimed that their all-new hypersonic jet will beat Air France’s Concorde’s record of completing an air journey from New York to London in just 90 minutes. Air France retired its Concorde aircraft 20 years ago due to safety concerns and high operating costs.
An average non-stop flight duration from London to New York is about 7 hours, Concorde could cover the distance in less than three hours. Air France’s Concorde led the company to incur huge fuel costs per passenger and it also caused a sonic boom over residential neighbourhoods.
The Swiss aviation startup aims to launch the world’s first hypersonic commercial plane which will be known as Destinus S. It is said to be launched between 2030 and 2032. The aircraft will be powered by hydrogen fuel which will help the aircraft cause zero emissions and cover distances faster. Destinus S is said to cruise at the speed of Mach 5 and will accommodate 25 passengers, whereas Destinus L will cruise at the speed of Mach 6 and will transport 300 to 400 passengers.
The CEO of the startup company, Mikhail Kokorich explained how the system will work.
“The propulsion system for Destinus 3 will incorporate a kerosene-fueled turbojet engine in conjunction with a liquid hydrogen-fueled afterburner. We’re also developing plans to trial a fully hydrogen-based system for both turbojet and afterburner.
“The demonstrator is equipped with a liquid hydrogen tank and an innovative feed system that features an electric pump. Destinus 3 is on track for its inaugural subsonic flight in early 2024, with supersonic flight campaigns to follow in late 2024.
According to its official website, the company integrates the most evolved aerospace technology which offers high-speed abilities. It claims that-
“Our hypersonic airplanes combine the most advanced aerospace technologies. The long-range and high-speed capabilities, enabled by hydrogen as a fuel, will open new flight paths for cargo and passenger transportation anywhere on Earth.”
It has also stated that its aircraft will provide the fastest passenger and cargo services in the future. Their hypersonic aircraft allow them to avoid any contribution to noise pollution and can easily utilize conventional airports for travel and cargo shipping.
The company was founded in 2021 by Mikhail Kokorich who is a physicist, inventor, and entrepreneur. Kokorich is a Russian physicist who has founded several aerospace companies across Russia, the USA, and Europe. Destinus has its headquarters in Canton of Vaud, Switzerland and its other facilities are located in Toulouse, Madrid, Paris, and Munich.
According to Forbes, the company has raised $50 million in funding so far which means there’s a long way for the company to go for realizing the hypersonic plane. Kokorich had quoted that funding of $1 billion is required to achieve the ambition of building a commercial hypersonic aeroplane powered by hydrogen fuel. Destinus has claimed that the hypersonic plane will reach Australia from Europe at 15 times the speed of sound.
“The hyperplane, a hybrid between an airplane and a rocket, is planned to reach Australia in 90 minutes at 15 times the speed of sound, in a climate-neutral manner.”
It will also cut down the time for air freight across the world at a much cheaper rate.
“This is expected to dramatically reduce delivery times for global air freight to 6-12 hours instead of the current 24-72, and at a comparable cost.”
