NASA and Lockheed Martin Unveil X-59 Quiet Supersonic Test Aircraft
NASA and Lockheed Martin have officially debuted the X-59 Silent Supersonic Technology Experimental Test Plane, also known as QueSST. With the construction of the X-59 complete, excitement about the countdown to the first flight has begun. The future of supersonic passenger flight may depend on its successful outcome.
Today’s launch took place at skunk jobs facility on US Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California. The highly publicized ceremony was streamed live on multiple platforms, and virtual viewing parties were encouraged.
“This is a significant achievement that was only possible thanks to the hard work and ingenuity of NASA and the entire X-59 team,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. “In just a few years we have gone from an ambitious concept to a reality. NASA’s X-59 will help change the way we travel, getting us closer in much less time.”
The X-59 project dates back to 2016, and NASA originally hoped that the plane would take to the skies for the first time in 2020. However, the goal was then delayed to last year, with the plan now set for later this year. NASA has adjusted the schedule due to several technical challenges identified throughout 2023.
Before the first flight can take place, the X-59 will undergo integrated systems testing, engine operation, and taxiing tests, according to NASA. The first flight and several other test flights are expected to take place at Plant 42 before the QueSST aircraft moves to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center.
NASA has said that the successful completion of the initial flight tests will mark the end of the first of three planned phases of the QueSST project. The second phase will involve ensuring that the core design works as designed, including through flights at the supersonic proving ground above Edwards Air Force Base.
In the third phase, also known as the Community Response Study phase, the X-59 will perform flights over different locations in the United States. Comments will then be sought from people in those communities. NASA will share the data and technology generated from this mission with regulators and industry.
QueSST’s ambitious goal is to reduce the noise of a traditional sonic boom to a “quieter sonic boom.” By doing so, the X-59 is expected to help regulators reconsider rules prohibiting commercial supersonic flight over land.
The X-59 exhibits some amazing features designed for its demanding mission. It has an incredibly long nose, taking up about a third of its total length of 99.7 feet. The thin and tapered nose has been designed to dissipate the shock waves that are created around the supersonic regime, reducing the sonic boom experienced on land.
The pilot sees the outside world through an external vision system, developed especially for the aircraft, which uses a series of high-resolution cameras to feed a 4K monitor in the cabin.
The X-59 is equipped with a custom variant of a popular engine found in the F/A-18 Super Hornet, specifically designed for the aircraft, which is mounted on the top of the fuselage to ensure a smooth bottom.
From its future base of operations at the Armstrong Flight Research Center, the X-59 will embark on the basic test program, literally taking its “sonic hit,” to different communities in the United States to see how they perceive noise levels.
The success of the X-59 and its technologies could bring significant advancements to future high-speed commercial aircraft designs. However, technical and economic challenges must be addressed for supersonic passenger flights to become a reality.
Time will tell if the X-59 meets the challenges ahead and has the potential to start a revolution in commercial aviation travel. If successful, the X-59 could usher in a new era of supersonic passenger flight and change the way we travel.
