NASA's X-59 aircraft flies faster than sound without a disruptive sonic boom, only a quiet sonic thump, and is the centerpiece of the Quesst mission.
In March 2023, the X-59 underwent final installation of its lower empennage, allowing for final wiring and system checkouts.
The Quesst mission will fly the X-59 over several US communities to gather data on human responses to the sound generated during supersonic flight.
The X-59 is powered by a single jet engine and flown by a single pilot, and is designed to fly at Mach 1.4, or 925 mph, at 55,000 feet.
NASA will use the experimental X-59 to provide data that could change the rules that ban supersonic flight over land by proving a sonic boom can be reduced to a barely audible thump.
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, California, is responsible for the assembly and installation of the X-59 tail section.
The X-59 will undergo integrated ground testing, including engine runs and taxi tests, before taking to the skies for supersonic flight testing.
The experimental X-59 research aircraft aims to demonstrate the ability to fly supersonic while reducing the loud sonic boom to a quiet sonic thump.
The X-59 will be used to provide valuable data to U.S. and international regulators on the effects of supersonic flight on human response to sound.
The X-59's innovative technology aims to make supersonic flight a more accessible and sustainable form of transportation in the future.