The Concorde, the only supersonic passenger aircraft, made its final flight in 2003. Bob van der Linden, a curator at the National Air and Space Museum, was among the passengers on that last journey. As the aircraft reached Mach 2—twice the speed of sound (2,170 km/h)—he noted in a 2004 article for the magazine Air & Space that the experience was smooth, with no jolts. He described the aircraft's windows as warm due to the heat generated by their high-speed travel and the sky as "a beautiful dark purple." The Concorde entered commercial service in 1976, cutting the flight time between New York and London in half. However, its loud sonic boom—caused by breaking the sound barrier—limited its operations to over oceans. High fuel consumption made tickets expensive, and despite the speed, most flights were half full. The program ended after a major crash in 2000 and a decline in air travel following the September 11 attacks. Analysts believe the Concorde's retirement signaled the end of supersonic passenger transport. Despite this, two projects—NASA and Boom Supersonic, an aerospace startup—are working to revive the dream of supersonic travel. Earlier this year, NASA's experimental aircraft, the X-59, crossed the sound barrier for the first time. Boom Supersonic, meanwhile, has already conducted several successful supersonic flights with its test aircraft, the XB-1, also known as "Baby Boom." Both aim to solve the noise and fuel problems that plagued the Concorde. If successful, these projects could revolutionize air travel by significantly reducing flight times. Blake Scholl, CEO of Boom Supersonic, envisions a future where supersonic travel is accessible to all. His company aims to launch its first commercial flight with the Overture aircraft in 2030. This aircraft will be three times the size of the XB-1, and testing of its main engines is expected to begin soon. To fly over land, Boom Supersonic has developed the "Boomless Cruise" technology, which reduces the sonic boom by slowing the aircraft to Mach 1.1–1.3 at high altitudes. This approach has been successfully tested on the XB-1, which has crossed the sound barrier six times without producing an audible boom. NASA is exploring a different approach with its X-59 aircraft, part of the Quesst mission. Instead of reflecting sound waves upward, the X-59 uses an elongated nose and other geometric designs to minimize the sonic boom. However, this design obstructs the pilot's view, requiring cameras and a screen for navigation. Test flights have described the resulting sound as a "dull noise," rather than the thunderclap of the Concorde. While some experts, like Blake Scholl, believe Boom Supersonic's method is superior, others, such as Nicole Viola, an aerospace engineer, suggest that NASA's approach may offer greater speed and noise reduction potential. Despite these advancements, supersonic travel still faces environmental challenges. Boom Supersonic's Overture would use significantly more fuel than conventional aircraft, leading to higher carbon emissions. The company plans to offset this by using sustainable fuels derived from industrial and urban waste. While Boom Supersonic aims to reduce ticket prices to match today's business class fares, the environmental impact of supersonic travel remains a concern for many specialists. Boom Supersonic is not the only company working on supersonic travel, but other projects have either failed or been put on hold. The Overture, once completed, will be capable of carrying 64 to 80 passengers, compared to the Concorde's maximum of 100. The company hopes that by increasing the use of its fleet, it can lower costs and make supersonic travel more accessible. However, industry experts caution that the 2030 launch date may be too ambitious, given the need for extensive safety testing and regulatory approvals. Looking further ahead, some are exploring even faster travel options. Companies like Hermeus are developing hypersonic aircraft that could reduce the New York to London flight time to under two hours. However, many specialists believe these technologies will remain out of reach for a long time, emphasizing the need for safer high-speed freight transport before passenger travel becomes feasible. As Bob van der Linden notes, even if these technologies are realized, the timing of arrival at destinations may pose a new challenge for travelers.