Hermeus, an organization dedicated to the creation of a Mach 5 aircraft – an aircraft capable of traversing from New York to London in a mere 90 minutes – has secured $16 million in Series A funding. Canaan Partners spearheaded this investment, with additional support coming from current investors Khosla Ventures, Bling Capital, and the Rise of the Rest Seed Fund. This latest financial injection will facilitate the development and ground testing of the company’s initial full-scale engine, the essential element that will ultimately drive its first Mach 5 aircraft.

Previously this year, Hermeus successfully validated a smaller-scale engine prototype, confirming the effectiveness of its foundational technology design. The company will now concentrate on scaling this prototype to match the dimensions and power output of its planned production engine. Simultaneously, Hermeus intends to broaden the capabilities of its Atlanta testing location to incorporate limited in-house manufacturing. Furthermore, work will continue on the design of its inaugural aircraft, with the company promising to release additional details regarding this first aircraft in the coming months.

Hermeus asserts that achieving Mach 5 flight is feasible utilizing currently available, well-established technology. The company also highlights its team’s extensive background in the aerospace industry, drawing from experience at leading organizations such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, NASA, Boeing, and others, as a significant advantage.

Despite this confidence, Mach 5 remains a challenging goal. The Concorde achieved speeds slightly exceeding Mach 2, while Boom Aerospace is aiming for Mach 2.2 with its Overture supersonic aircraft. NASA’s X-59 experimental jet, constructed by Lockheed Martin, is designed to cruise at approximately Mach 1.42. Mach 5 represents a considerably faster speed than any of these endeavors; however, Hermeus CEO AJ Piplica has indicated that the company anticipates approximately ten years of development before a commercially viable passenger aircraft is realized.