Nasa’s X-59: The Promise of a Quiet Supersonic Aircraft

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, in collaboration with NASA, unveiled the X-59, an experimental aircraft designed to reduce the sonic boom, at a ceremony in Palmdale, California.

Described as a quiet supersonic aircraft and a one-of-a-kind experimental airplane, NASA intends to utilize it to pave the way for commercial aircraft capable of traveling faster than the speed of sound.

The X-59 is projected to reach speeds of 925 mph, which is 1.4 times the speed of sound. Its innovative design and technologies enable the aircraft to achieve these speeds more quietly.

The X-59 is the focal point of NASA's Quesst mission, which aims to address the primary challenge of supersonic flights over land by reducing the intensity of sonic booms to "a gentle thump," as stated by Lockheed Martin.

The aircraft measures 99.7 feet in length and 29.5 feet in width, with its thin, tapered nose accounting for nearly a third of its total length. This unique configuration helps to disperse the shock waves that typically result in a supersonic aircraft generating a sonic boom, according to NASA.

"Due to this configuration, the cockpit is located almost halfway down the length of the aircraft – and does not have a forward-facing window. Instead, the Quesst team developed the eXternal Vision System, a series of high-resolution cameras feeding a 4K monitor in the cockpit," explained NASA.

"This is a significant achievement made possible only through the hard work and ingenuity of NASA and the entire X-59 team," said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. "In just a few short years, we've gone from an ambitious concept to reality. NASA's X-59 will help revolutionize travel, bringing people closer together in significantly less time."

Lockheed Martin stated that the next steps for the X-59 include completing ground tests, such as engine-run and taxi tests. The aircraft's first flight is scheduled to take place later this year, marking a major milestone.

Once the aircraft is validated in initial flight tests, it will proceed to the acoustic testing phase, which will involve flights over populated areas. This phase will provide U.S. and international regulators with statistically valid data necessary to review regulations regarding supersonic flight over land.

According to the company, this advancement has the potential to cut commercial flight times in half. For the past 50 years, such flights have been prohibited due to the disruptive nature of loud and startling sonic booms.

Image: Lockheed Martin Skunk Works

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