Funny Machines: A Space Odyssey

What will the aircraft of 2050 look like? It's obviously a mystery, because everything will depend on the demands of the market at the time. However, several scenarios already exist. On the one hand, there are those that favour speed, such as the supersonic business jet project launched by the Russian aircraft manufacturer OAK or, better still, the rocket plane developed by EADS, the parent company of Airbus, in partnership with Japan. But there are also projects for aircraft that are slower than today's aircraft, with a focus on energy consumption. This is one of the possibilities being studied by Airbus with its "concept plane". In 2050, more than ever, the industry's priority will be to fly as green as possible. In fact, non-polluting energies are at the heart of all projects.

Green propulsion

Electric motors are at the heart of manufacturers' work. While Boeing is working on a "bio" fuel, EADS is considering a hybrid system involving a turbine running on biofuel, which would supply electricity to lithium-ion batteries used for propulsion. This system, currently planned for an Airbus with around 100 seats by 2030, could well be perfected by then and adapted to larger aircraft.

From time to time

The future could well revive the idea of the mythical Zeppelin, as major projects of this type re-emerge. EADS presented the outline of a very large airship at the recent Paris Air Show. A more advanced project - supported by both NASA and the Pentagon - the Aeroscraft is due to make its first test flight in 2016. Capable of carrying more than 500 tonnes of payload, travelling 20,000 kilometres non-stop and landing anywhere, this airship offers great prospects for transporting goods or for smooth, almost silent sky cruises.

From the earth to the moon

In 2014, Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo should be the first to offer wealthy tourists the thrill of the immensity of the clouds. Other contenders for this futuristic odyssey include XCOR, SNC, SpaceX and Swiss Space Systems, whose commercial horizon is the Karman Line, the frontier of space 100 kilometres from Earth.

The whole world just two hours away

Paris-Tokyo in 2 hours 30 minutes, compared with nearly 13 hours today! And all with virtually no pollution! This is the incredible project developed by EADS in collaboration with the French aerospace research centre - Onera - and Japan. Called Zhest (zero emission high speed transport), this aircraft, with a capacity of 50 to 100 people, could enter service around 2050. Through the LAPCAT programme, the European Space Agency is also working on a project for an aircraft capable of flying at Mach 5. This hypersonic revolution would turn the planet into a veritable global village, revolutionising lifestyles across the globe. So living in Paris and working in Beijing or going away for the weekend to Sydney... All these possibilities would no longer be illusory. For the very wealthy, that is.