LA to NYC in 12 Minutes: DARPA Tests Mac 20 Vehicle

LA to NYC in 12 Minutes: DARPA Tests Mac 20 Vehicle
By Damon Berger
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    An artist’s rendering of the Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2. (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency / April 20, 2012)

  • The military’s mad scientist research arm, DARPA, has successfully tested an air vehicle that could fly from Los Angeles to New York in 12 minutes. The unmanned Falcon Hyper Sonic Technology Vehicle 2 reached speeds of Mach 20, or 20 times the speed of sound, and was recently captured on video below.

    The vehicle, which has a surface that burns at more than a steel-melting 3,5000 degrees, sustained some damage during the flight, but still managed a successful flight.

    For now, it’s (at least) likely a military weapon, capable of delivering items anywhere in the world in less than an hour. But, with some tuning, maybe it could one day carry passengers. Where would you go, if you could make a day trip to anywhere in the world?