NASA’s X-59 experimental aircraft reached a major milestone last Friday when it flew faster than the speed of sound for the first time, paving the way for it to demonstrate its silent supersonic capabilities later this year.
NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less took off and landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California, reaching a top speed of approximately Mach 1.1 (713 mph, or about 1,147 km/h) and an altitude of 43,400 feet. The X-59 flight lasted 81 minutes, with the team focusing on flight characteristics at both subsonic and supersonic speeds.
The X-59 was designed to fly at supersonic speeds producing only a discreet sound, rather than a loud sonic boom. On this flight, a NASA F‑15 fighter flew nearby to monitor the X‑59. The F-15’s loud sonic booms drowned out any sound produced by the X-59.
This first supersonic flight is a significant milestone, but an even more important event for the mission is just around the corner. In just a few days, the aircraft is expected to perform its first flight under “mission conditions”, reaching a cruising speed of Mach 1.4 (925 mph, or approximately 1,489 km/h) and an altitude of approximately 55,000 feet. The X-59 will also be accompanied by a pursuit aircraft on this flight.
