Tupolev Tu-144

The Tupolev Tu-144 was a Soviet supersonic passenger aircraft developed in the 1960s, designed to fly faster than the speed of sound. It was similar in purpose to the Concorde and was intended to revolutionize air travel with rapid transcontinental flights. The Tu-144 had sleek, delta wings and could reach speeds over Mach 2. It was used briefly for commercial flights and set several records, but due to technical challenges and safety issues, its passenger service was limited. Today, it is remembered as an innovative but ultimately less commercially successful example of supersonic aviation.