Elon Musk’s pioneering concept of hypersonic civil aviation, introduced in 2020, faced skepticism from experts, who identified two major hurdles. The unavailability of engines capable of maintaining hypersonic speeds for extended periods was the primary concern, as military aircraft typically achieve supersonic speeds only briefly, during 30-40 minute combat engagements. The secondary concern was the substantial heat generated by air resistance, demonstrated by the extreme temperatures experienced by the Concorde and Tu-144, which expanded up to a meter during flight, requiring specialized carpeting to mitigate thermal effects.
