Virgin Galactic Unveils New Mach 3 Supersonic Jet & Collaboration With Rolls-Royce

Virgin Galactic announces new Mach 3 supersonic jet and collaboration with Rolls-Royce to design and develop the engine propulsion technology.

Virgin Galactic has recently announced the new Mach 3 super jet and its intent to collaborate with Rolls-Royce on developing the engine propulsion technology needed to take the Mach 3 to new heights and travel three times faster than the speed of sound.

Self-described as a “vertically-integrated aerospace and space travel company pioneering human spaceflight for private individuals and researchers,” Virgin Galactic is continuing its mission to advance air and space vehicles, revealing for the first time their new delta-winged Mach 3 super jet to be developed in collaboration with Rolls-Royce.

Designed to carry up to 19 passengers at an altitude of 60,000 feet and reach a top speed of 2,300mph/3700kmh, the new Mach 3 Super Jet could travel between London and New York in just under 1.5 hours. It would take off and land like a regular passenger aircraft at existing airports worldwide and ntegrate into existing airport infrastructure.

To build the technology needed to make this happen, Virgin Galactic has signed a memorandum of intent with high Mach propulsion specialists, Rolls-Royce (not to be confused with Rolls-Royce Motorcars), who already have experience in creating the only civil-certified commercial aircraft capable of supersonic flight – aka the Concorde.

George Whitesides, Chief Space Officer, Virgin Galactic, shared, “We are excited to complete the Mission Concept Review and unveil this initial design concept of a high speed aircraft, which we envision as blending safe and reliable commercial travel with an unrivalled customer experience. We are pleased to collaborate with the innovative team at Rolls-Royce as we strive to develop sustainable, cutting-edge propulsion systems for the aircraft, and we are pleased to be working with the FAA to ensure our designs can make a practical impact from the start. We have made great progress so far, and we look forward to opening up a new frontier in high speed travel.”

“We are excited to partner with Virgin Galactic and TSC to explore the future of sustainable high speed flight,” said Rolls-Royce North America Chairman & CEO Tom Bell. “Rolls-Royce brings a unique history in high speed propulsion, going back to the Concorde, and offers world-class technical capabilities to develop and field the advanced propulsion systems needed to power commercially available high-Mach travel.”

The new Mach 3 super jet’s design philosophy is focused on making high-speed travel practical, sustainable, safe, and reliable while keeping customer experience a top priority. The super jet can be configured for a range of operational scenarios, including service for passengers on long-distance commercial aviation routes, and can offer business or first-class seating arrangements.

Virgin Galactic has been previously working closely with international regulatory communities to ensure compliance with safety and environmental standards and are now working with FAA’s Center for Emerging Concepts and Innovation to outline a certification framework during the pre-project guidance phase.