Superconductor X

I just picked up a recent addition of New Scientist(my favorite science based publication)and came across a very interesting article on a team attempting to develop a "hot" superconductor. That is a supeconductor that remains superconductive is at or above room temperature but is actually based on conventional superconductors that normally cannot function at temperatures above 40 degrees kelvin.

I've been thinking that couldn't this have been done decades ago. I mean if this technology was developed decades ago then couldn't it be in use now on craft like the TR-3B and possibly others(the X-22 Darkstar comes to mind).

Just a thought.

Superconductor X