NASA said last week it has officially committed to a development timeline that will lead to the first flight of its X-59 Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST) aircraft by 2021. Development of X-59 QueSST falls under the Low Boom Flight Demonstrator project, part of the Integrated Aviation Systems Program in NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. The X-59’s mission is to use the aircraft to gather test data to potentially change the rules that currently ban supersonic flight over land.
NASA Commits to Three-Year Timeline for X-59 Quiet SST
Key Takeaways:
- NASA has officially committed to the development and flight-testing of its X-59 Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST) aircraft, with its first flight expected by 2021.
- The X-59's primary mission is to gather test data aimed at potentially changing regulations that currently ban supersonic flight over land.
- The aircraft seeks to demonstrate that it can reduce the traditional sonic boom to a quiet "thump," which could lead to public acceptance of supersonic flights.
- This project marks NASA's first piloted, full-size X-plane in over three decades.
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