NASA’s Supersonic X-59 Clears Critical Ground Tests

The experimental supersonic aircraft has returned to Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility in California for final assembly.

Kimberly Johnson

Thursday, April 21, 2022 at 04:27 PM ET

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The X-59 is lowered to the ground at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California, after a crane operation to remove it from the back of its transport. [Courtesy: NASA/Lauren Hughes]

Key Takeaways:

NASA's X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology (QueSST) experimental aircraft has returned to Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works for final assembly, engine installation, and system checkouts after completing ground tests in Texas.
The aircraft is designed to significantly reduce the loud sonic boom of supersonic flight to a quiet "thump" to enable future commercial supersonic travel over land.
Its mission is to collect data to help shape regulations for commercial supersonic flight and gauge public reaction to the reduced sound, with demonstration flights slated to begin in 2024.

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Following months of ground tests, NASA’s low-boom supersonic experimental aircraft has returned to Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works factory in Palmdale, California, for the next phase of assembly, NASA said Wednesday.

The X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology (QueSST) experimental aircraft is part of NASA’s Low Boom Flight Demonstration project aimed at collecting data to help shape regulations for possible future commercial supersonic flight over land.