Mach 10 means traveling at ten times the speed of sound. The exact speed in miles per hour or kilometers per hour depends on altitude and atmospheric conditions because the speed of sound varies with temperature, air density, and altitude.
- At sea level, the speed of sound is about 760 mph (1,225 km/h), so Mach 10 would be approximately 7,600 mph (12,348 km/h)
- At higher altitudes, such as around 55,000 to 80,000 feet where experimental hypersonic aircraft fly, the speed of sound is lower, roughly 660 mph (1,062 km/h), making Mach 10 closer to about 6,700 mph (around 10,800 km/h)
- For example, in the movie Top Gun: Maverick , Mach 10.2 corresponds to roughly 7,826 mph at sea level or about 6,732 mph at high altitude, illustrating this variation
In summary, Mach 10 is roughly between 6,700 mph to 7,800 mph depending on altitude, which is about 10 times the speed of sound at those conditions. This speed is far beyond current manned aircraft capabilities, with the fastest manned flight record being Mach 6.7 set by the X-15 in 1967
