So I was reading about the SR-71 Blackbird and it's wild that no crewed aircraft has beaten its speed or altitude records in over 26 years. This plane was a beast! Mach 3 speed and could reach altitudes that still make my head spin. The last flight wasn't even some Cold War mission, but a NASA science gig. They used it like a flying wind tunnel - pretty cool that it helped shape the X-33 and sonic boom research.
I think it's nuts that with all the tech advancements, nothing has topped it. Maybe it's just too costly or the need isn't there anymore? Or maybe we're focusing more on unmanned stuff like drones these days?
What do you guys think? Is there ever gonna be a need for a faster or higher-flying crewed aircraft, or are we past that now? Would love to hear your thoughts on why nothing's broken those records yet. Seems like such a gap for something that was developed so long ago.
I think it's nuts that with all the tech advancements, nothing has topped it. Maybe it's just too costly or the need isn't there anymore? Or maybe we're focusing more on unmanned stuff like drones these days?
What do you guys think? Is there ever gonna be a need for a faster or higher-flying crewed aircraft, or are we past that now? Would love to hear your thoughts on why nothing's broken those records yet. Seems like such a gap for something that was developed so long ago.