The Earth is big and no matter how convenient plane might become , it ’s still a hassle flee from one part of the public to the other , but thanks to a technical find flight might become a lot short in the near - ish hereafter .

Researchers at NASA and Binghamton University have tested a fabric that can withstand the extreme condition of hypersonic travel , which would substitute carbon nanotubes in the building of these aircrafts . These planing machine could get through five to 10 clip the speed of sound and reduce a 7 - time of day trajectory to about an hour .

" Our study used what are called boron nitride nanotubes ( BNNTs ) . NASA presently owns one of the few facilities in the Earth able to produce quality BNNTs , " group loss leader Changhong Ke explained in astatement . " While carbon nanotubes can stay unchanging at temperatures up to 400 degrees Celsius , our study found that BNNTs can hold up to 900 degrees Celsius . "

" BNNTs are also able to handle high amount of money of stress and are passing lightweight , " he add .

The study , publish inScientific Reports , focused on all the properties of BNNTS . They have to hold up eminent temperature , but also they need to stay on unattackable if they are to be used in aeronautics . Carbon carbon nanotube are actually unassailable than steel , for example . To quiz the BNNTs decent the condition they were display to were extreme , but also realistic . For case , the tests were all conducted in air .

" We were n’t prove this material in a vacuum , like what you would experience in space . Materials can withstand much higher temperatures in infinite . We wanted to see if BNNTs could bear up in the type of surround an mediocre fighter jet or commercial sheet would know , " Ke read .

So , when are we getting hypersonic plane ? Sadly , it will still   take a while . This is a step forward for the engineering and shows the versatility of these BNNTs but they wo n’t be just slapped on a woodworking plane to be send on its merry way just yet . Also , the BNNTs are rather expensive .

" Right now , BNNTs cost about $ 1,000 per g . It would be impractical to use a product that expensive , " said Ke .

A decade might be a sufficient time for the first influence prototype . Carbon nanotubes used to be just as expensive and they are now just 1 percent of the original cost . So , it may take year but hassle - detached long - distance flight are look likely   in the future tense .