Japanese aerospace scientists will begin full-scale development in March 2002 of a next-generation supersonic transport aircraft, it was learned Monday.
The scientists claim the aircraft will be able to cut flying time from Tokyo to Los Angeles from 11 hours to about 4 1/2 hours when they go into commercial service in around 2020.
The National Aerospace Laboratory of the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry will start development work in Australia, where the first scaled-down supersonic experimental airplane, which will be unmanned and will have no engine, will be carried into the sky by a rocket.