09/03/2026
China just made a huge leap in high-speed flight! ✈️💨 Scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have successfully tested a jet-fuel-powered engine designed for hypersonic flight, reaching speeds up to Mach 16 — that's around 12,300 mph or 19,800 km/h! The tests took place inside Beijing's JF-12 tunnel, a facility built to simulate extreme high-altitude flight conditions. What makes this special is the fuel: researchers used standard aviation kerosene, the same fuel found in regular jets, instead of exotic propellants. The engine uses a special combustion method to rapidly mix and burn the fuel-air blend, letting it operate across a huge range, from Mach 6 all the way to Mach 16. This is still experimental technology, not a fully operational aircraft yet, but it's considered the world's first jet-fuel-powered engine of its kind to reach this milestone, and a major step forward for future aerospace travel.
📸 Photo: Representative Purpose Only / AI Generated
Source: South China Morning Post