X-43A Goes 7,000 MPH – Getting Ready for Mach 10

When it comes to moving out at a high rate of speed, traveling at say, 500 mph, might seem hard to wrap your head around, but 500 mph is a cake walk compared to what the X-43A sees.

We almost thought it was a typo at first, but this plane has the ability to reach speeds of Mach 9.6, that’s equivalent to nearly 7,000 mph. Yes, really.

Guinness World Records recognized NASA’s X-43A scramjet with a new world speed record for a jet-powered aircraft – Mach 9.6, or nearly 7,000 mph. The X-43A set the new mark and broke its own world record on its third and final flight on Nov. 16, 2004.

The only plane to go that fast before was, well the X-43A as this display was of the plane breaking its own previous record of Mach 6.8.

Check out the video below that takes you along for the ride as this plane climbs to all new heights to speeds that might just blister your mind if you’re not careful.