Beyond Mach 1: The Race for Supersonic and Hypersonic Flight
This article was originally published in the February 2025 issue of Jetstream.

photo courtesy of Hermeus
The Speed Frontier: Exploring Supersonic and Hypersonic Innovations
Aviation is a continually evolving industry. However, the last significant increase in the speed of air travel for the typical consumer was in the 1960s, when propeller aircraft made way for jets.
Fasten Your Seatbelt—That’s About to Change.
While the Concorde made supersonic travel possible, its limitations ultimately led to commercial service being suspended nearly 25 years ago, with all of the aircraft retired not long after. However, the appetite for supersonic travel didn’t disappear. It simply went dormant as visionaries pondered how to make it more feasible, even as they watched the technology they would need for their programs advance by leaps and bounds.

London Claims Team at a recent visit to the Brooklands Museum, diving into aviation history and exploring the iconic Concorde.
Boom Supersonic: Optimized for Speed, Safety and Sustainability
Today, several companies are exploring or pursuing the goal of safe and sustainable supersonic passenger travel. Chief among them is Boom Supersonic. The company’s revolutionary Overture aircraft, with its groundbreaking Symphony engine, is rapidly (and quite impressively) clearing the countless technological hurdles necessary for supersonic flight.
Examples of the rapid progress being made are recent test flights of the company’s XB-1 demonstrator aircraft over the Mojave Desert. Goals achieved include confirming functionality of the jet’s landing gear, first-time activation of its digital stability augmentation system (roll damper), reaching a speed of Mach 0.69 and applying elevated g-forces of 2.78g to prepare for supersonic flight.

photo courtesy of Boom
Boom Supersonic
- Mach 1.7
- 2x faster* over water
- 20% faster* over land
- 4,250 nautical mile max range
- 60K ft. cruising altitude
- 64-80 passenger capacity
- Up to 100% SAF compatible
*vs. conventional aircraft
Hermeus Targets Hypersonic Travel
No matter how fast a vehicle travels, someone will inevitably inquire, “Can we make it go faster?” In aviation, one of the organizations asking (and answering) that question is Hermeus. The aerospace and defense technology company was founded “to radically accelerate air travel by delivering hypersonic aircraft.”
The term hypersonic denotes a speed that is at least five times faster than that of sound. Typically the domain of cruise missiles and space launches, hypersonic speeds will represent a sea change in any industry where they are leveraged.
“Hypersonic aircraft mark a transformative leap in aviation technology, with profound implications for both defense and commercial industries,” says Hermeus Co-Founder and CEO AJ Piplica.
“In defense, hypersonic capabilities deliver unmatched speed, altitude and maneuverability, creating a decisive asymmetric advantage to deter large-scale geopolitical conflicts. In the commercial sector, hypersonic transportation promises to give people back our most valuable resource—time.”

photo courtesy of Hermeus
Hermeus broke ground on a hypersonic engine and flight test facility at Cecil Airport in Jacksonville, Florida, in September 2024. The site, named HEAT (High Enthalpy Air-Breathing Test Facility), will be the company’s largest and most advanced facility and serve as an integral part of the American flight test infrastructure, including for the U.S. Department of Defense.
The company’s Quarterhorse (flight vehicle), Darkhorse (uncrewed hypersonic warfighting aircraft) and Halcyon (passenger aircraft) programs will be making many headlines in the months and years to come.
Hermeus
- Operationalizing hypersonic aircraft
- Working toward Mach 5 passenger jets
- Targeting New York to Paris in 90 minutes
Stratolaunch: Innovative Flight Test Programs Enabling Hypersonic Technology
Based in Mojave, CA, Stratolaunch began as an idea to provide flexible vertical space launch service back in 2011. The company’s unique approach was to use the world’s largest flying aircraft, Roc, as a means for enabling payloads into low Earth orbit. They have since pivoted to sub-orbital hypersonic flight test services, empowering its customers to reach Mach 5+ speeds in a routine and affordable manner with a reusable rocket-powered aircraft called Talon-A.
Roc’s first flight took place in April 2019, and it has completed 20 flights as of November 2024. The company’s coverage has grown to include an additional launch vehicle called the Spirit of Mojave, a Boeing 747-400. Global Aerospace has been proud to be the lead insurer of Stratolaunch’s aviation insurance programs since the beginning.

photo courtesy of Stratolaunch
“Global Aerospace, our broker Marsh and the aviation insurance community are valued partners in our operations. Despite flight testing being perceived as a risky business, we work cooperatively to ensure we are stringently meeting operational safety standards while also protecting our assets and overall financial health,” says Dr. Zachary Krevor, Stratolaunch President and CEO.
The company completed its first powered flight of the Talon-A vehicle in March 2024, reaching high-supersonic speeds. It aims to reach full hypersonic speeds and achieve landing during its next test of the Talon-A at the end of 2024, and then recycle the vehicle to fly on a monthly cadence. Stratolaunch will add additional hypersonic Talon-A vehicles to its launch rotation, increasing its operational cadence and expanding its service to international locations in 2025.
Stratolaunch
- Accelerating access to the hypersonic environment
- Providing routine availability of air-launched test beds
- Capturing critical flight data to empower new designs
- Enabling extended time on condition
United Airlines Throttles Up
Aviation advances generally require two parties. The first is the company developing the technology. The second is an initial customer who places orders. That commitment provides multiple benefits, from bringing attention and credibility to the endeavor to helping fund the work. For Boom Supersonic, one such partner is United Airlines.
United’s belief in the Overture program and its ability to change the face of commercial aviation will pay off when the company welcomes passengers aboard in just five years. Between now and then, Boom will be working diligently in collaboration with United to meet the company’s high safety, functionality and sustainability standards.

photo courtesy of United Airlines
United Airlines
- 15 aircraft in the initial order
- 35 additional aircraft optioned
- 2029 target for first passenger trips
Supporting the Game-Changing Advances in Supersonic and Hypersonic Flight
Like anyone interested in leading-edge aviation, we at Global Aerospace have watched in awe as Boom Supersonic, Hermeus, Stratolaunch and other companies have extended the boundaries of what is possible for aircraft. But we’re more than passive spectators. We insure many companies in this field, providing the financial security they need to reach their goals.
Where will their innovations take the industry? That remains to be seen. But you can bet we’ll get there fast.