A GERMAN aerospace agency is working hard to remove the tedious transport time associated with overseas travel.

The DLR Institute of Space Systems has designed a futuristic rocket-propelled jet that promises to fly passengers from Australia to Europe in just 90 minutes.

Even though the project is unlikely to get off the ground until 2050, the concept looks impressive nonetheless.

Dubbed the SpaceLiner, the rocket-propelled jet will work by launching into the Earth’s stratosphere to altitudes of 80km where it can travel at speeds up to 13,300km/h.

“The two-stage, vertical-takeoff configuration concept consists of a large unmanned booster and a manned stage designed for 50 passengers and two crew members,” DLR wrote on its website.

With an overall length of 83.5 metres and a wing span of 37.5 metres, the aircraft will be accelerated by a total of 11 liquid rocket engines operated using cryogenic liquid oxygen and hydrogen — meaning it will only release water vapour and hydrogen in the atmosphere.

The environmentally friendly fuel system will do little to affect the performance of the craft with the SpaceLiner boasting the ability to travel more than 20 times the speed of sound in less than 10 minutes.

The company believe the mode of transport will initially be aimed at wealthy clientele, but it is hopeful this will change over time.

“Such rocket-based, ultra-fast transportation far in excess of supersonic and even potential hypersonic aeroplanes is a fundamental new application for launch vehicles,” DLR wrote.

“Even in the case that only a very small portion of the upper business-travel segment could be tapped by the SpaceLiner, production rates of RLVs and their rocket engines could increase hundredfold which is out of reach for all other known earth-orbit space transportation system concepts.”