Within 10 years, it will be possible to get from London to Sydney in less than two hours – but people will have to travel through space, experts say.
The Research on Suborbital Space Flights
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is funding medical research into the implications of suborbital spaceflight, where travelers can travel through space for a short period of time before descending to their destination much faster than an airplane. Suborbital flights, like those offered by Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic, currently cost more than £350,000 per seat. However, organizers predict that it will soon become less expensive and eventually become an intercontinental travel option “accessible to everyone.”
According to the Sunday Times, a study funded by the Civil Aviation Authority found that most people handle G-forces well for suborbital spaceflight. As published in the journal Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance, commercial suborbital spaceflight is now available for tourism and scientific research and is expected to eventually grow into very fast point-to-point flight, such as from London to Sydney in less than two hours. Flights from London to Sydney currently take around 22 hours.
Who Can Travel Via Suborbital Space Flights?
A study done jointly with King’s College London and assisted by the Royal Air Force found that those who make such flights do not need to be physically healthy or young – older people are likely to be better at space travel.
Dr. Ryan Anderton, CAA chief flight physician, stated that “Physiological responses are likely to be favorable for most passengers,” adding that older people generally have “harder arteries,” which reduces blood pooling away from the brain.
The Future of Suborbital Space Flights
The current study suggests that suborbital space travel could be the future of air travel within a decade. It could revolutionize the way people travel, making air travel not only faster but also more affordable and accessible.
Source: Daily Mail
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