On Friday, NASA and Lockheed Martin officially revealed the experimental X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft, which aims to renew the feasibility of commercial planes capable of flying faster than the speed of sound.
DALLAS — On Friday, NASA and Lockheed Martin officially revealed the experimental X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft. NASA aims to collect data using this aircraft, which has the potential to renew the feasibility of commercial planes capable of flying faster than the speed of sound.
During a ceremony held at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, California, NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, along with other senior officials, introduced the aircraft to the public. Melroy expressed her admiration for the hard work and innovation of the NASA and X-59 teams, emphasizing the significant achievement of transforming an ambitious concept into reality.
https://youtu.be/KjCdGqgD9Bs
NASA says that the X-59 is an experimental aircraft, not a prototype, that aims to pave the way for future generations of quiet supersonic planes. With a length of 99.7 feet and a width of 29.5 feet, the X-59 incorporates advanced technologies to enable quiet supersonic flight. Its shape, including a thin and tapered nose, helps to mitigate the sonic boom typically associated with supersonic aircraft by breaking up shock waves.
In addition, the cockpit of the X-59 is positioned halfway down the length of the aircraft and lacks a forward-facing window. Instead, NASA's QueSST (Super-Sonic Transport) team has developed the eXternal Vision System, which consists of high-resolution cameras that feed a 4K monitor in the cockpit. This system provides pilots with visual information during flight.
The X-59 is designed to fly at 1.4 times the speed of sound, or 925 mph while generating a quieter sonic thump thanks to its unique shaping and technologies. The engine is mounted on top, giving the X-59 a smooth underside "to help keep shockwaves from merging behind the aircraft and causing a sonic boom."
The X-59 plays a vital role in the Quesst mission, which focuses on gathering data to persuade regulators to reconsider the existing rules that prohibit supersonic flight over land. For the past 50 years, countries including the U.S. have banned such flights due to the disruptive sonic booms they generate, causing disturbance to communities below.
Concorde's sonic boom was extremely loud and caused both environmental and cultural disturbances, even from an altitude of 60,000 feet. Due to the disruptive nature of the sonic boom, many of Concorde's flights were limited to over the ocean. The aircraft generated three times more noise, NOx, and CO2 compared to subsonic planes. The X-59 program aims to address these issues.
With the completion of the X-59's unveiling, the Quesst team will now focus on the next steps to prepare for its first flight. These steps include integrated systems testing, engine runs, and taxi testing at Skunk Works. The aircraft is scheduled to take off for the first time later this year.
NASA says it will conduct several flight tests at Skunk Works and then transfer the X-59 to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, which will serve as its operational base.
Featured image: NASA and Lockheed-Martin's X-59-SST experimental aircraft. Photo: NASA
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