# 27 times faster than the speed of sound ?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/27-times-faster-than-the-speed-of-sound/826831>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 28, 2018, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/27-times-faster-than-the-speed-of-sound/826831 "2018-12-28T14:37:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Bones\_Daley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@Bones\_Daley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bones_Daley)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2018, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/27-times-faster-than-the-speed-of-sound/826831/1 "2018-12-28T14:37:46Z")

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This report [https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/russia-hypersonic-missile-nuclear/2018/12/27/id/896105](https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/russia-hypersonic-missile-nuclear/2018/12/27/id/896105) alleges that the new Russian Avangard missile is able to travel at 27 times the speed of sound.

Seems unlikely to me … is this just another example of journalistic exaggeration ?

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**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2018, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/27-times-faster-than-the-speed-of-sound/826831/2 "2018-12-28T14:54:25Z")

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Maybe in space…that’s orbital velocity.

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**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2018, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/27-times-faster-than-the-speed-of-sound/826831/3 "2018-12-28T15:33:01Z")

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> [@Enola\_Straight](#):
>
> Maybe in space…that’s orbital velocity.

There is no problem with exceeding _escape_ velocity if you are pointed down. In this case this is a scramjet device that is deployed from ICBMs on re-entry.

While it may not always fly at mach 27, it will “_glide_” at mach 10+

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**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2018, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/27-times-faster-than-the-speed-of-sound/826831/4 "2018-12-28T15:52:51Z")

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> [@Bones\_Daley](#):
>
> is this just another example of journalistic exaggeration ?

They’re just reporting what the Russian official is claiming.