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Supersonic Jet Remains Experimental and Will Undergo High-Speed Testing by the End of 2026
China is taking a new step in developing the TMS-10 supersonic jet, an experimental demonstrator designed to fly at speeds of up to Mach 2 and test ways to reduce the sonic boom produced when breaking the sound barrier. The aircraft is in the final assembly phase and is expected to perform a supersonic flight by the end of 2026. If the technology eventually leads to a larger passenger model, Chinese state media estimate that the travel time between Beijing and Shanghai could drop from around two hours to approximately 30 minutes.
According to Interesting Engineering, in a report published on September 20, 2026, the project is still in the research and technology validation stage. The TMS-10 is being developed by the Tianmushan Laboratory, an institution established with support from Beihang University, and will still need to undergo further trials, propulsion system development, and tests with larger aircraft before any possibility of commercial service.
TMS-10 is Designed to Reach Mach 2
The program aims to develop the necessary technologies for a future supersonic executive jet capable of accommodating 10 to 15 people. The project envisions premium business and tourism travel, with a cruising speed of up to Mach 2 and the ability to operate in a subsonic regime near Mach 0.95.
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This combination increases technical difficulties. An aircraft of this nature must maintain stability and efficiency at significantly different speeds. Above the speed of sound, pressure, temperature, and air behavior change rapidly, while in subsonic flight, the aircraft still needs to perform comparably to conventional operations.
30-Minute Journey Still Depends on an Aircraft That Does Not Yet Exist
What stands out most about the project is the possibility of traveling between Beijing and Shanghai in about half an hour. However, this estimate does not refer to the demonstrator currently being assembled. The current TMS-10 is a test platform and not a commercial aircraft ready to carry passengers.
The projection presented by Chinese state media considers a future, larger aircraft capable of incorporating the solutions currently under study. To achieve that travel time, the jet would need to maintain supersonic speed over a significant portion of the route while also meeting requirements for safety, certification, noise, range, and commercial operation.
First Model Flew Slowly to Test Stability and Control
The program has already undergone an initial flight experience. In June 2025, a 1:18 scale demonstrator took off from Dingzhou Airport in Hebei province. The mission was conducted at low speed to verify how the aerodynamic configuration performed during takeoff, landing, stability, and basic maneuvers.
According to information released by the Tianmushan Laboratory, the prototype measured 2.9 meters in length, had a wingspan of 1.5 meters, and a takeoff weight of 12.5 kilograms. The flight lasted 2 minutes and 50 seconds, reached an altitude of 241 meters, and achieved a maximum speed of 46 meters per second, well below the speed of sound.
Now the Challenge is to Exceed the Speed of Sound
The next mission will be quite different. The team plans to push the demonstrator beyond Mach 1 and maintain it in supersonic flight while measuring the generated sonic boom and monitoring the aircraft’s behavior under much more severe speed conditions.
Researchers will also evaluate the control system, stability, and the interaction between aerodynamics and propulsion. For the program, breaking the sound barrier will be just part of the test. The primary objective is to determine if the design developed can control shock waves predictably during a prolonged flight.
Design Aims to Prevent Shock Waves from Merging
The noise produced by supersonic aircraft remains one of the biggest obstacles for this type of transportation. When an airplane exceeds the speed of sound, different pressure waves can converge and create a loud boom that reaches the ground.
To mitigate this effect, the TMS-10 utilizes a configuration of three aerodynamic surfaces. The design includes a canard wing and a T-tail. According to the responsible laboratory, the geometry aims to prevent the waves formed at the nose and wings from combining into a single, more intense wave.
The rear part has also been designed to redistribute these air disturbances. The goal is to transform the loud boom associated with older supersonic airplanes into a lower intensity noise, a feature deemed essential to expand usage possibilities over populated areas.
Simulation Results Still Need Real-World Verification
The Tianmushan Laboratory claims that simulations, aerodynamic tests, and optimization work indicate a less intense boom than observed in supersonic aircraft from the Concorde generation.
These results still need to undergo the most challenging test: actual flight at supersonic speed. Wind tunnels and computational models can anticipate some of the aircraft’s behavior, but flight conditions add variables that can only be measured with the equipment in the air.
Engine is Another Obstacle Before Carrying Passengers
Even if the aerodynamic configuration works, the supersonic airplane will still rely on an adequate propulsion solution. The researchers involved in the project highlight the engine, air intake, and exhaust system among the components that will need to evolve in the next stages.
The intention is to eventually work with a variable cycle system capable of operating efficiently at both conventional speeds and during supersonic flight. This balance is challenging because the demands placed on the engine change as the aircraft accelerates and transitions through different flight regimes.
Flying at Mach 2 Requires Control of Heat and Structural Wear
Speed also brings another problem: temperature. In sustained supersonic flight, the compression and friction with the air heat different points of the aircraft. This affects material selection, structural integrity, and component lifespan.
A commercial airplane must also contend with demands that do not appear with the same intensity in a small demonstrator. Safety, passenger comfort, maintenance, reliability, and operational costs come into play. Therefore, achieving Mach 2 in a test is far from indicating that a commercial model is ready.
Next Generation Expected to Weigh Around 10 Tons
The development roadmap includes an intermediate stage before any aircraft intended for passengers. The plan mentioned by Interesting Engineering includes building a larger demonstrator, weighing approximately 10 tons, aimed at further studying the reduction of sonic boom.
This aircraft will allow verification of structural components, control systems, and aerodynamic solutions on a scale much closer to that required for a crewed aircraft. After this, further testing and validations will still be necessary before the project can advance to commercial development.
NASA Pursues a Different Path with the X-59
China is not the only country trying to make supersonic flight quieter. In the United States, NASA is developing the X-59 under the Quesst program, created specifically to study the possibility of reducing the noise impact caused by an aircraft exceeding the speed of sound.
The X-59 achieved supersonic speed in 2026 and subsequently conducted flights at Mach 1.4 and 55,000 feet altitude. The American research aims to produce a sound perceived on the ground with much lower intensity than the traditional boom and to collect data that could inform future regulatory decisions.
Noise May Determine if Supersonics Will Return to Commercial Routes
The problem of sonic boom has previously limited passenger supersonic flights. Restrictions on operations over land areas reduced the routes where the additional speed could actually be utilized.
Therefore, programs like TMS-10 and X-59 focus efforts on how shock waves are formed and reach the ground. If tests show that it is possible to significantly reduce noise, such aircraft could gain new technical possibilities. Still, any operation will depend on certification and changes to regulations applied to civil aviation.
Flight Scheduled for 2026 Will Be the Most Important Test So Far
The next concrete step is expected by the end of 2026, when TMS-10 should cross the sound barrier. This mission will allow verification of whether the aerodynamic configuration works in real conditions and accurately measure the noise produced by the aircraft.
Only after these results can the program proceed to larger demonstrators and propulsion systems more akin to those required in a passenger plane. The possibility of connecting Beijing to Shanghai in about 30 minutes remains a long-term projection, dependent on the success of various developmental stages still ahead.
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