$800K ‘Boom Prize’ Challenges Amateurs to Build Supersonic Airplanes

Nearly 80 years after Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier, new competition aims to unearth the next advancement in high-speed flight.

Jack Daleo

Friday, July 17, 2026 at 10:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 demonstrator conducted 13 test flights in early 2025 and, according to the company, produced sonic booms that were inaudible at ground level. [Credit: Boom Supersonic]

Key Takeaways:

Boom Supersonic has launched the "Boom Prize," offering $800,000 ($750,000 cash, $50,000 in stock) for the first amateur-built, air-breathing, radio-controlled aircraft to break the sound barrier twice in a single day.
The competition, open to privately funded U.S. amateurs until 2030, aims to ignite a new era of supersonic innovation, echoing the impact of historical aviation prizes like the Orteig and Ansari XPRIZE.
Entrants must adhere to specific rules, including using air-breathing propulsion (not rockets), a maximum 55-pound takeoff weight, sustaining Mach 1 for five seconds in level flight, and complying with all FAA regulations.

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Famed U.S. Air Force aviator Chuck Yeager was the first to exceed the speed of sound in 1947, flying a rocket-powered Bell X-1. Nearly 80 years later, $800,000 in prize money is up for grabs for the first to break the sound barrier with an amateur-built, air-breathing aircraft.

Boom Supersonic CEO Blake Scholl last week announced the “Boom Prize,” challenging armchair engineers to build a radio-controlled airplane that exceeds Mach 1. The winner will receive $750,000 in prize money and $50,000 in the company’s stock. Judges include NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and popular science YouTuber Scott Manley.