Video Transcript
Lockheed Martin aircraft manufacturer Skunk Works recentlyrolled outthe X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft, a project that could lead to a new generation of commercial aircraft.
As part of NASA’s Quesst mission, the agency stated that it expects the X-59 to travel at 1.4x the speed of sound, approximately 925 miles per hour, at 55,000 feet. The aircraft is also designed to reach these speeds with only a sonic thump, avoiding the traditional sonic boom.
NASA stressed that the X-59 is not a prototype but rather an experimental aircraft. At 99.7 feet long and 29.5 feet wide, the X-59 features a slightly tapered nose that makes up about a third of the total length. This design and a smooth underside aim to disrupt the shock waves responsible for generating a sonic boom.
Other design features of the X-59 include a top-mounted engine and a centrally positioned cockpit along the aircraft’s length. The cockpit doesn’t have a forward-facing window, but the team addressed this by creating the eXternal Vision System, a set of high-resolution cameras that transmit imagery to a 4K monitor within the cockpit.
Now that the rollout has been completed, the team will proceed with preparations for the first flight later this year. Once the aircraft is validated in the first few flight tests, it will progress to the acoustic testing phase. This involves flights over populous locations to gather data for regulators.
FAA regulations currently prohibit flying civil aircraft at supersonic speeds over land. However, if approved, the X-59 could pave the way for future commercial supersonic flights over land. This has the potential to reduce travel time. For example, a flight from Los Angeles to New York City, which currently takes more than five hours, could be reduced to 2 hours and 30 minutes.
