Are you ready for under-four hour air travel to anywhere in the world?

To the dismay of weary business travelers the world over, the idea of being able to get from one point on Earth to an entirely different point within four hours seems like either science fiction or the result of a particularly unambitious travel itinerary. But that may be about to change, with a British company announcing that it has successfully completed tests for a new rocket propulsion system that significantly changes consumer air travel – or, at least, the amount of time a consumer spends in the air – forever.

Reaction Engines has created a new type of jet engine that “breathes” air, something that allows the aircraft to move at speeds that Reaction claims are five times the speed of sound. Developed over a 20-year period, Reaction’s SABRE – which stands for Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine – can operate in two modes: “air-breathing” and “rocket,” a dual system that is being described as a “major breakthrough in propulsion worldwide.”

How it works: [link to www.reactionengines.co.uk]

More here: [link to m.digitaltrends.com]