It seems like science fiction, but one day a two-hour flight from London to Sydney may be a reality. Developments in so-called hypersonic travel are helping bring this futuristic idea to fruition as soon as 2018 after a successful test in the Australian desert. The idea is a project of the U.S. and Australian militaries, whose scientists are working to develop a “scramjet” engine. This supersonic combustion engine uses oxygen from the atmosphere for fuel, so it’s lighter — and faster — than jet fuel engines. The successful test showed the engine can facilitate travel at incredibly fast speeds, achieving Mach 7.5  —seven times faster than the speed of sound. “It is a game-changing technology … and could revolutionize global air travel, providing cost-effective access to space,” Alex Zelinsky, Australia’s chief scientist, said in a statement. Hypersonic travel could change the world, allowing a trip from Sydney to London to be achieved in two hours. London to New York? That would be a breeze, taking just 35 minutes. NASA is also working with similar technology, developing a “low boom” passenger jet that could travel at speeds faster than sound travels but without the loud sonic boom.