Quiet Supersonic Jet 'X-59' Breaks Mach 1.4, Reaching Operational Speeds

NASA's experimental X-59 quiet supersonic jet has achieved a significant milestone, reaching Mach 1.4 (1,487 km/h) at an altitude of 16,760 meters (55,030 feet) during a test flight on June 12. This achievement marks the first time the aircraft has reached the speed and altitude necessary for its intended operational missions. Just a week prior, on June 5, the X-59 had successfully broken the sound barrier for the first time, reaching Mach 1.1 at 13,100 meters.

Developed in collaboration with Lockheed Martin under the Quiet SuperSonic Technology (QueSST) project, the X-59 has been undergoing flight tests since October. NASA plans several more months of testing at various altitudes and speeds. The agency will then fly the aircraft over populated areas in the United States to meticulously measure the noise levels experienced on the ground. This data is crucial for submission to aviation authorities, both in the U.S. and internationally, to support the potential revision of the long-standing ban on supersonic flight over land, which has been in place since 1973.

The X-59 is engineered to dramatically reduce the disruptive sonic boom associated with supersonic flight. Instead of the loud 'boom,' the aircraft's unique design, featuring a long, pointed nose and a streamlined fuselage, is intended to produce a quieter 'thump,' comparable to the sound of a car door closing (around 75 decibels). This contrasts sharply with the Concorde, the first supersonic passenger jet, which generated a sonic boom of 105 decibels, leading to its prohibition over land. To compensate for the pilot's limited forward visibility due to the long nose, the X-59 utilizes an External Vision System (XVS), which displays flight data and external camera feeds on monitors in the cockpit.

This advancement holds the potential to revolutionize air travel by enabling faster journeys without the environmental noise pollution that previously grounded supersonic commercial flights. The successful demonstration of quiet supersonic technology could pave the way for a new era of high-speed aviation.