NASA's X-59 marks first year with milestone flights

Summarised from 2 outlets · 3 reports · Updated 5 Nov, 14:31 · Archive

NASA's experimental X-59 supersonic jet has completed 41 flights in its first year and reached speeds of Mach 1.4.

NASA's experimental X-59 QueSST jet has completed 41 flights during its first year of operation, reaching speeds of 925 mph (Mach 1.4) at altitudes of 55,000 feet. The aircraft, nicknamed the 'Son of Concorde', recently travelled from its California base to the Kennedy Space Center, with footage showing it flying over Fort Worth, Texas on 28 October accompanied by one of NASA's F-15s.

The X-59's defining feature is its ability to transform the deafening sonic boom of supersonic flight into a quieter 'glide thump', which could allow such flights to operate over populated areas. If the design is successfully scaled into a passenger aircraft, a trip from New York to London could take just 3.5 hours, while a New York to Los Angeles journey would be reduced to 2.5 hours from the current 5 to 6 hours.

Commercial supersonic flights have not been available in the US since the Concorde was retired in 2003, following high operating costs, limited seating, and declining public interest after a fatal crash in 2000. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman confirmed the X-59's journey to Florida on social media. Separately, NASA has announced the development of the X-70 Fractal, a new experimental aircraft designed to test next-generation aviation technologies, with its first flight expected within two years.

NASA's X-59 marks first year with milestone flights — Image: New York Post

Comments (0)

How it is being reported

NASA’s new experimental X-70 plane will be used to test next-gen aviation technologiesYesterday NASA announced the latest addition to its X-series of experimental aircraft that have included the Bell X-1 that first broke the sound barrier nearly 80 years ago, and the more recent X-59 quiet supersonic demonstrator. The new X-70 Fractal is designed to be a "high-performance, highly adaptable research platform" that NASA can use as […]The Verge · 5 Nov, 14:10
Futuristic experimental supersonic X-59 jet spotted flying over TexasAn experimental supersonic Lockheed Martin X-59 jet was spotted cruising over Fort Worth, Texas on October 28.New York Post · 4 Nov, 16:22
Needle-nose X-59 jet just hit a major milestone in the quest to cut long-haul flight times in halfNASA's experimental X-59 QueSST jet celebrated its first year in flight with a trip to the Kennedy Space Center as the agency touts the aircraft as the future of supersonic airline travel.New York Post · 4 Nov, 12:00

In this story: NASA · Kennedy Space Center · Fort Worth · Lockheed Martin · New York · London · Los Angeles · Jared Isaacman

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log