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NASA and Lockheed Martin have marked the first test flight of their X-59 supersonic plane.
Lockheed Martin said the X-59 performed “exactly as planned” on its test flight from its Skunk Works facility in Palmdale to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Centre in Edwards, California, this week. It follows taxi testing in Palmdale earlier this year.
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NASA unveiled the X-59 last year as part of its wider Quesst mission, and hopes it will become the first supersonic aircraft that won’t generate a sonic boom.
“We are thrilled to achieve the first flight of the X-59,” said OJ Sanchez, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works.
“This aircraft is a testament to the innovation and expertise of our joint team, and we are proud to be at the forefront of quiet supersonic technology development.”
The technological advancements are hugely significant, given that non-military aircraft are banned from flying faster than the speed of sound over land – a rule that contributed to the early retirement of Concorde.
According to Lockheed Martin, the aircraft can reduce the boom to a quieter “thump” – compared to slamming a car door – because its tapered nose breaks up the shock waves traditionally created when an aircraft surpasses the sound barrier.
“The X-59’s successful development and flight testing will inform the establishment of new data-driven acceptable noise thresholds related to supersonic commercial flight over land, paving the way for a new generation of supersonic aircraft that can efficiently and sustainably transport passengers and cargo twice as fast as aircraft today,” the company said.
While the initial test flight did not go supersonic, Lockheed Martin and NASA expect to expand the X-59’s flight envelope over coming months, including supersonic flights to “achieve the optimal speed and altitude for a quiet boom”.
“This will enable NASA to operate the X-59 to measure its sound signature and conduct community acceptance testing,” said Lockheed Martin.
The test has been welcomed by US Transportation Secretary and acting NASA administrator Sean Duffy, who called the X-59 “a symbol of American ingenuity”.
“The American spirit knows no bounds. It’s part of our DNA – the desire to go farther, faster, and even quieter than anyone has ever gone before,” he said.
“This work sustains America’s place as the leader in aviation and has the potential to change the way the public flies.”
Several other firms have been working to produce a viable commercial supersonic jet, including Boom, whose prototype XB-1 – or Baby Boom – in January completed what the manufacturer claimed was the first piloted supersonic flight of a commercial aircraft since Concorde.
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