NASA X-59 completes 25th flight in quiet supersonic testing

X-59 supersonic flight quiet supersonic technology NASA sonic boom

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic experimental aircraft has completed 25 test flights, marking a significant milestone in the program. The 25th flight took place on August 21, departing from the Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. During the 72-minute sortie, the aircraft reached Mach 1.2 at an altitude of approximately 49,000 feet.

The X-59 is designed to fly faster than the speed of sound while minimizing the loud sonic booms typically associated with supersonic travel, instead producing what NASA describes as a “sonic thump.” This technology aims to enable future over-land supersonic commercial flight.

Engineers report that the aircraft’s real-world performance, including stability, handling, and structural loads, has closely matched computer models and wind tunnel predictions. The program is now moving toward an upcoming acoustic validation phase to demonstrate the aircraft’s quiet supersonic capabilities.

Entities

Armstrong Flight Research Center · Cathy Bahm · NASA · Nils Larson · X-59

Sources

NASA’s X-59 Just Cleared Its 25th Flight — Now Comes the Test That Could Change Air Travel [wltreport.com]

6 days ago

NASA’s X-59 completes 25 flights ahead of acoustic supersonic testing [www.aerospacetestinginternational.com]

5 days ago