( A scramjet power rocket testing in Australian Outback in 2006)
A future looks bright when a successful scramjet tests conducted in the Australian Outback that saw a rocket exceed Mach 10 speeds of 11,000 kmh (6,800 mph) pose a potential revolution in air travel, making theoretically possible to connect anywhere in the world within three to four hours.
While this achievement is breathtaking in its commercial potential, the reality is that such capabilities are very unlikely to find their way to your nearest airport anytime soon.
More extensive tests need to be conducted before the engines and the airframes can be safety certified, since the technology offers tantalizing hypothetical speeds of up to Mach 24! But once the basics have been achieved with the prototypes, there is still another complicated process in the next stage of ensuring average passenger comfort.
In short, we're at the very least two decades away before the first commercial scramjet flight is ready to accept bookings. And chances are that when we actually reach this horizon, these flights will most likely be far from the envisioned fantasy.
Like the supersonic Concorde, which has been retired in 2003 after almost three decades of lording the skies, the commercial scramjet is very likely to run smack into overland flight restrictions with stringent controls on noise levels and now, possibly even carbon dioxide and other fuel-related emissions.
Take-offs and landings would probably need to be within existing speed limits to minimize noise
pollution; sonic booms resulting from speed transitions would be restricted to non-residential zones-most likely over barren seas, assuming there won't be further restrictions related to the protection of possibly dwindling aquatic creatures.
As a result, scramjets are a promise of faster travel speeds which still faces an uncertain future
