The X-59 is being developed to travel faster than sound without generating a loud sonic boom, a key part of NASA’s Quesst mission to enable quiet supersonic flight. This recent test is a major milestone in assessing how the aircraft’s design reduces ground-level noise.
To simulate flight conditions, researchers used a model measuring just 1.62% of the actual aircraft’s size—about 19 inches in length. It was tested at conditions replicating the X-59’s planned cruising speed of Mach 1.4, or roughly 925 miles per hour.
This marks the third round of wind tunnel testing for the X-59, following earlier trials at JAXA and NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Ohio. The experiments provide data to validate Computational Fluid Dynamics models, especially concerning how air flows around the aircraft.
Traditional supersonic aircraft create loud booms when shock waves merge in flight, often causing public disturbance. The X-59’s design avoids this by preventing shock wave merging, producing a softer “sonic thump” instead.
Built by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, California, the X-59 is currently undergoing final ground testing before its first flight, scheduled for later this year. “The X-59 is designed to fly faster than the speed of sound without causing a loud sonic boom,” NASA said in its statement.
NASA’s Quesst mission will use the X-59 to collect data on public perception of supersonic noise, which will help define acceptable noise levels. This research is intended to guide future commercial aircraft design, enabling high-speed travel without disrupting communities on the ground.
