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WATCH: NASA’s Supersonic X-59 Pushes the Envelope

Researchers are validating the aircraft’s performance before propelling it to supersonic speeds.

Tuesday, May 05, 2026 at 03:43 PM ET

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The X-59 conducts a bank-to-bank autoroll maneuver during a recent test flight in California. [Credit: NASA/Lori Losey]

Key Takeaways:

The NASA/Lockheed Martin X-59 is an experimental supersonic aircraft undergoing "envelope expansion testing" to validate its performance and demonstrate a significantly quieted "sonic thump" instead of a loud sonic boom.
Its unique design, featuring an extended nose and smooth underbelly, aims to disperse shock waves and reduce noise at the source, allowing for potential supersonic flight over land.
The ultimate goal is to conduct community surveys on the X-59's noise levels, providing regulators with evidence to potentially overturn the current ban on commercial supersonic flight over land.

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NASA and Lockheed Martin’s experimental supersonic X-59 is demonstrating that envelope expansion testing is about more than flying faster and higher.

Ultimately, the goal is to bring the aircraft to a speed of Mach 1.4 and altitude of 55,000 feet, under which conditions it is expected to produce a “sonic thump,” or quiet sonic boom. A planned community survey of the X-59’s noise levels could give regulators and lawmakers the evidence they need to chart a return to commercial supersonic flight.

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.