NASA and Lockheed Martin have officially unveiled the X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft, a unique experimental airplane designed to gather data that could revolutionize air travel. The X-59 is the centerpiece of NASA’s Quesst mission, which aims to address the challenges of supersonic flight over land by making sonic booms quieter. The aircraft is expected to fly at 1.4 times the speed of sound, generating a quieter sonic thump through its design and technologies. The Quesst team will conduct flight tests and collect data to help regulators reconsider rules prohibiting commercial supersonic flight over land, potentially opening new markets for U.S. companies. The X-59 will undergo integrated systems testing, engine runs, and taxi testing before its first flight later this year. After completing flight tests, NASA will gather input from various U.S. cities to assess public perception of the X-59’s sound. The technologies developed for the X-59 are intended to inform future generations of quiet supersonic aircraft.
Source: https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-lockheed-martin-reveal-x-59-quiet-supersonic-aircraft/
