NASA and Lockheed Martin Unveil Quiet Supersonic Aircraft X-59

The experimental plane, designed to travel faster than sound without a sonic boom, is set for its first flight later this year.

NASA and Lockheed Martin have unveiled the X-59, a new quiet supersonic aircraft, designed to travel at 1.4 times the speed of sound without creating a disruptive sonic boom.
The X-59's unique design, including a thin, tapered nose and a cockpit located halfway down the length of the plane, is intended to break up shockwaves that cause sonic booms in conventional aircraft.
The aircraft will undergo integrated systems testing, engine runs, and taxi testing before its first flight, which is scheduled for later this year.
Following flight testing, NASA plans to fly the X-59 over selected cities in the U.S. to gather feedback on the sound it produces and how people perceive it.
The data collected will be provided to the Federal Aviation Administration and international regulators, potentially paving the way for the re-evaluation of regulations prohibiting commercial supersonic flights over land.