NASA’s futuristic X-59 jet is about to face its biggest challenge yet: breaking the sound barrier for the first time. After a successful series of test flights that pushed the aircraft to near-supersonic speeds, engineers are preparing to fly it faster than Mach 1 and eventually up to Mach 1.6 at 60,000 feet. The sleek experimental aircraft is designed to replace the thunderous sonic boom with a much quieter “thump,” a breakthrough that could help bring supersonic passenger travel back over populated areas.

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…

NASA’s futuristic X-59 jet is about to face its biggest challenge yet: breaking the sound barrier for the first time. After a successful series of test flights that pushed the…

El X-59 está a punto de superar la velocidad del sonido por primera vez.

"We are starting toward the mission conditions test point that X-59 was designed for."

The X-59 is preparing to fly faster than the speed of sound for the first time.

Il velivolo X-59 realizzato da Lockheed Martin per la Nasa è pronto a superare la barriera del suono per la prima volta questo mese