Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works, in partnership with NASA, has completed the first flight of the X-59, a quiet supersonic jet that could shape the future of faster commercial air travel.
The experimental aircraft took off from Skunk Works’ facility at U.S. Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale and landed safely near NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The flight met all objectives, confirming initial handling and performance data.
Built to fly faster than sound without producing a traditional sonic boom, the X-59 is designed to replace the disruptive crack of supersonic flight with a much softer “thump.” NASA will use flight test data to help regulators determine acceptable noise levels for potential commercial supersonic routes over land.
Skunk Works and NASA will continue testing in the months ahead, gradually expanding the X-59’s flight envelope and preparing for its first supersonic runs. Those flights will measure the aircraft’s sound signature and gather feedback from communities below, a key step in the development of quiet supersonic travel.
