There is a continuous interest in developing a supersonic business jet capable of transporting ten or more passengers at speeds greater than Mach 1.5, over a distance of at least 4,000 nmi, while weighting no more than 100,000 lb. While the technical and socioeconomic challenges associated with the development of a supersonic business jet might be more easily solved than those associated with a large supersonic transport airplane they still demand a significant engineering effort. This paper explores the technological improvements needed to achieve a viable design, the sensitivities of technology drivers and mission parameters, and impact on operational considerations. Traditional sizing and constraint methods were used in the analysis and operational assessment for selected business jet routes was performed. Plausible improvements in aerodynamics, propulsion, and structures, along with operational changes will be required to achieved a feasible configuration.
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