China is studying technology to cross the Pacific in 100 minutes

Chinese scientists announced that China already has the technology “Supercavitating”That will allow the long, submarines travel at supersonic speeds and could eventually cover a hypothetical trip between Shanghai and San Francisco (USA) in just 100 minutes.

As reported today the newspaper "South China Morning Post," progress has been achieved after years of study by experts from the Institute of Technology, Harbin in the northeast.

The Supercavitating is roughly in the creation of a “bubble” of air around the underwater vehicle which would allow avoiding travel water friction, similar to those of a plane conditions.
“We are excited by the potential of the discovery”Said the Professor of Fluid Mechanics and Engineering of the said school, Li Fengchen.

The Supercavitating began to be studied during the Cold War by the Soviet Union, using the concept of bubble underwater torpedoes managed to travel to 370 miles per hour, a rate much higher than that of conventional submarine missiles.

Although still far from achieving similar rates of air underwater in theory possible, simplifying the most of this technology, the speed of sound underwater, approximately 5,800 miles per hour was achieved.

This would allow the aforementioned ideal travel between China and the US Pacific coast in just over an hour and a half, less even than by air.

There are still, however, many technical difficulties that trip can be a reality, because, for example, by Supercavitating is impossible to use a rudder to control direction, so for now the only possible path is the straight line .

This has led, so far, the only proven technology with unmanned vehicles are mainly torpedoes, although research continues for future manned submarines can launch at supersonic speeds.

Other countries, such as USA and Germany, are also investigating this new mode of transport, which could revolutionize the future transoceanic travel.

SOURCE: Elcomercio.pe