You have probably heard the phrase “Mach 6” a couple of times. How fast is Mach 6 actually? What does it even mean?
If the above questions apply to you, then you are on the right page. I will tell you everything you need to know about Mach 6 and even how to calculate it.
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What is Mach Number?
Mach Number (M or Ma) is explained as the ratio of the speed of a moving body to the speed of sound in the surrounding medium.
This form of calculation was believed to be named after the Moravian physicist Ernst Mach.
Mach Number is achieved by dividing the local flow of velocity with respect to boundaries by the speed of sound in the medium. Check the formula for calculating Mach below.
M= The local Mach Number
U = Local flow of velocity with respect to boundaries.
C = The speed of sound within the medium.
The above formula can be used to calculate the Mach Number.
How fast is Mach 6?
Since Mach is the speed of a moving body to the speed of sound, Mach 6 simply means six times the speed of sound.
The X-15 hypersonic research rocket plane, 56-6671 was the first ever jet plane to achieve this speed. On 9 November 1961, Major Robert W. White became the first pilot to ever fly more than Mach 6. He touched down successfully after 9 minutes, 31.2 seconds flight.
If you want to convert Mach 6 to Miles Per Hour, that will be 4,446.6 Miles Per Hour. To compare this speed to the fastest car in the world, we will be talking about more than 14 times the speed of the fastest car in the world.
According to heycar.co.uk, the fastest car in the world is Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut but it can only crack 310 Miles Per Hour.