Hypersonic Travel: How Fast Can You Go?
Hypersonic Travel: How Fast Can You Go? The fastest speed ever traveled by a human is 39,937.7 km/h (24,816.1 mph) . This record was achieved by the crew of NASA’s Apollo 10 moon mission on May 26, 1969, as they returned to Earth. It’s important to note that this speed was achieved in the vacuum of space. On Earth, humans have not come anywhere close to these speeds due to factors such as air resistance and the physical limitations of the human body. For instance, the fastest sprinter, Usain Bolt, reached a top speed of 37.6 km/h (23.4 mph). Introduction Hypersonic travel, defined as flight through the atmosphere at speeds greater than Mach 5, is a concept that has intrigued scientists and engineers for decades. It promises to revolutionize travel by drastically reducing flight times. For instance, a hypersonic flight could potentially cover the distance from New York to London in just 90 minute...