Japan's New Hypersonic Engine Could Make 2-Hour Flights To The US A Reality

JAXA, in collaboration with Waseda University, the University of Tokyo, and Keio University, has successfully completed a ground combustion trial of a ramjet engine designed for Mach-5 hypersonic flight. The test, conducted at JAXA's Kakuda Space Center, simulated conditions at 25 km altitude and validated heat-shielding, control surfaces, and engine performance at temperatures exceeding 1,000°C. Ramjets use forward motion to compress air with no moving parts, enabling speeds far beyond conventional turbofans. The next step is mounting the experimental vehicle on a sounding rocket for an actual Mach-5 flight. If development proceeds, commercial hypersonic passenger service — potentially cutting Tokyo-to-LA flight time from 10 hours to 2 hours — could be a reality by the 2040s.