美研發超音速客機 90分鐘紐約飛東京

A California-based flight firm says its jet can take you from the Big Apple to the Orient in half the amount of time it would take to watch Titanic.

位於加州的XCOR宇航公司表示，他們研發的最新小型航天飛機從紐約到東京只需90分鐘，僅相當於觀看《泰坦尼克號》電影一半的時間。

XCOR Aerospace claims its Lynx spacecraft can travel at a speed of more than 2,500 mph - and dozens of miles above the earth - before safely landing at an airport.

XCOR宇航公司表示，“山貓”號航天飛機時速可超過2500英里，在安全在機場降落前飛行高度也將達到幾十英里。

It would be the fastest commercial flight since the days of the Concorde.

這將成爲協和式超音速客機後速度最快的商業飛機。

Business Insider reported that work continues on a prototype of the jet, but portions of the aircraft have been released to the public, including testing of Lynx's supersonic engine last week.

據商業內幕網站報道，這種飛機的原型機仍在建造當中，但部分情況已對外公佈，包括上週公佈的“山貓”號超音速引擎測試。

When finished and successfully tested, the company will begin marketing the world’s quickest flights on a jet that takes off and lands like the 747s of today.

在建造完成並測試成功後，該公司將開始運營全球最快的噴氣式客機航班，起飛和降落就和現今的波音747客機一樣。

XCOR COO Andrew Nelson told the reporters that flights between Tokyo and New York are likely to be available within the next 20 years.

XCOR公司的首席運營官安德魯-納爾遜告訴記者，東京到紐約的航線有望於20年內實現。

XCOR is one of several companies developing suborbital vehicles for commercial space tourist flights.

XCOR是開發亞軌道飛行器、用於商業太空飛行的幾家公司之一。

Lynx, a two-seater craft, will be able to take off and land at standard airports and unlike other spacecraft it will be a reusable space plane, capable of making up to four trips per day.

“山貓”號設有兩個座位，將可在普通機場起降，而且和其他航天器不同，這種航天飛機可以重複使用，每天最多能夠飛行四次。

It will take a pilot and passenger to the edge of space for a few minutes of microgravity and the ultimate view of the Earth.

“山貓”號可搭載一名駕駛員和一名遊客升空，進入太空邊緣，體驗幾分鐘太空微重力，俯瞰地球。

XCOR anticipates beginning space tourist flights on the new plane in 2013, with tickets selling for $95,000 per person.

XCOR公司預計將於2013年使用新式航天飛機開展太空遊項目，票價爲每人9.5萬美元。