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Wind tunnels have been used to test race cars, fighter planes, even bobsleds, but there's only one wind tunnel in the world that can hit Mach 30. The LENS-X wind tunnel can hit the hypersonic speeds necessary to test the latest ultrafast aircraft, space planes, and NASA's Orion space vehicle (pictured). Every time they crank it up to full speed, it uses enough energy to launch a Saturn rocket. That's one bad-ass wind tunnel. More »
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Development of the U.S.'s first hypersonic military space plane, the HTV-3X Blackswift, is zooming forward, with plans for Boeing and Lockheed to work together on the project. When it's ready to fly (possibly as soon as 2010), the Blackswift will give the U.S. the ability to send a missile to any spot on Earth within 60 minutes. Check out the unique propulsion system that will take Blackswift above Mach 6. More »
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