Could This Be The Next Air Force One? - Hermeus

Summary

The video explores the ambitious startup Hermeus Corporation, which aims to develop hypersonic aircraft capable of speeds over Mach 5 for commercial and military applications. It details their progress so far in engine testing and manufacturing techniques to realize this goal, the market opportunities they are targeting initially in defense before eventual civilian flights, and the remarkably experienced talent they have assembled. Overall, it depicts an aspirational company pushing boundaries in propulsion, materials science, and manufacturing to achieve faster-than-ever air travel.

Takeaways

• 😲 Hermeus started off with just 4 founders working out of a basement with the goal of building a hypersonic passenger plane capable of flying at Mach 5
• 👷‍♂️ Hermeus has focused first on solving national security problems to generate revenue before tackling the commercial passenger plane
• 🔧 Hermeus has already built and tested their own prototype hybrid turbo-ramjet engine called Chimera using off-the-shelf jet engines
• ✈️ Their first test vehicle Quarter Horse will provide hypersonic flight testing services to help derisk the development of hypersonic vehicles
• 😎 Hermeus is leveraging advanced manufacturing techniques like large format 3D printing and robotic panel forming to rapidly build their vehicles
• 👩‍🔬 Developing hypersonic engines has involved solving major technical challenges around the turbojet to ramjet transition
• 💸 Reducing the massive fuel costs will be key to making hypersonic travel economically viable for passengers
• 🚘 Hermeus CEO believes succeeding with a premium hypersonic service first is important before trying to make it economically accessible
• 🤝 Hermeus has created a collaborative environment where engineers, technicians and machinists work side-by-side with fast iteration
• 🛫 If successful, Hermeus could unlock $4 trillion in global GDP growth by connecting economies at hypersonic speeds

Q & A

What was the initial skepticism around Hermeus's claims to build a Mach 5 passenger aircraft?

The skepticism came from the immense technical challenges and costs involved in developing a hypersonic passenger aircraft, as well as lack of funding and customers in the beginning when Hermeus was just a startup with no track record.

How did Hermeus plan to generate revenue in the early stages?

Hermeus planned to first solve problems in the national security space and generate revenue there before tackling the long-term goal of a commercial hypersonic passenger aircraft.

What is the purpose of the precooler component in Hermeus's hybrid turbo-ramjet engine?

The precooler cools the incoming air and allows the turbojet engine to operate at much faster velocities before the blades reach their max operating temperature.

What manufacturing techniques is Hermeus utilizing to construct their aircraft?

Hermeus is utilizing a mixture of small and large format 3D printing and CNC machining. They are also investigating robotic panel forming techniques that can drastically decrease costs.

Why did Hermeus decide to target Mach 5 specifically?

Mach 5 is the lower end of hypersonic flight where ramjet engines can be used instead of scramjets. Also the airframe temperatures are still in range of metallic materials that can be mass produced versus ceramic materials.

What are some of the main challenges Hermeus faces in developing their hypersonic aircraft?

Some main challenges are high-speed stable takeoff/landing, managing thermal cycles and fatigue life of the structure, building full-scale hypersonic wind tunnel testing capability, and achieving economic ticket prices.

How is Hermeus structured to enable rapid design iteration?

Hermeus has engineers, technicians, and machinists working side-by-side in the same building to collaborate on designing, manufacturing, and assembling parts, allowing very fast design feedback and iterations.

What is compression lift and how will Hermeus take advantage of it?

Compression lift uses shock waves generated under the aircraft at high speeds to provide additional lift force. Hermeus will use folding wing tips to increase compression lift for improved range.

What are the biggest obstacles to making hypersonic flight economically viable?

The extremely high fuel costs and maintenance costs are the biggest obstacles. Significant improvements in energy density of fuels and storage as well as airframe durability and reuse will be needed.

How does Hermeus plan to expand access to hypersonic flight in the long term?

In the long term, advances in energy storage and production technology could enable lower operating costs that make hypersonic economically viable for more than just premium fares.