NASA's X-59 Prepares for First Supersonic Flight

NASA’s X59 Quiet Supersonic Plane Is About To Perform Its First Ever Supersonic Flight Test

You get the speed without getting the bang!

NASA's X-59 prepares for first supersonic flight

NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft is preparing for some of its most significant flights yet. The X-plane is about to begin a new block of test flights that will include its first time flying faster than the speed ...

NASA’s X-59 May Be Days Away From Supersonic Flight

NASA and Lockheed Martin’s quiet supersonic X-59 could break the sound barrier for the first time in the coming days, the space agency said Thursday.  NASA said it is targeting early June for the X-59’s first supersonic sortie, about seven months after its debut flight in October. The experimental aircraft’s long, slender nose and other unique features are designed to reduce the volume of sonic booms to a quieter sonic “thump,” akin to a car doo…

NASA’s X-59 Prepares for Supersonic Flight | Armstrong Flight Research Center

NASA’s X-59 Prepares for Supersonic Flight | Armstrong Flight Research CenterNASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft is gearing up for its most significant flights yet as teams continue expanding the aircraft’s flight envelope ahead of upcoming tests at speeds faster than sound.Since the aircraft’s first flight, the X-59 team has spent months evaluating its performance and handling qualities across a growing range of flight conditions. Ta…

Going Low and Slow in Testing

NASA/Jim Ross NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft flies above NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on April 28, 2026, during testing focused on lower-speed and altitude flight conditions in support of NASA’s Quesst mission. The X-59 has completed initial test flights at high altitudes and near-supersonic speeds, opening the door for additional flights focused on its full operating range. These more recent, l…