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3w ago

NASA’s X-59 Quiet Supersonic Jet Completes First Flight Over California

The maiden sortie launches a campaign to validate low‑boom technology to inform potential noise‑based rules.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
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On it’s first flight, NASA's experimental quiet supersonic aircraft X-59 takes off from runway 7 at Palmdale USAF Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, U.S. October 28, 2025. REUTERS/David Swanson

Overview

  • Lockheed Martin confirmed the Oct. 28 flight from Palmdale to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, calling it a significant milestone.
  • The initial shakedown remained subsonic at about 240 mph and roughly 12,000 feet with NASA test pilot Nils Larson assessing basic handling and systems.
  • The nearly 100‑foot, single‑engine jet features a sharply tapered nose, an above‑fuselage F414‑GE‑100 engine, and an eXternal Vision System in place of a forward window.
  • NASA and Lockheed plan months of envelope‑expansion flights leading to the X‑59’s first supersonic runs, acoustic measurements, and community response overflights.
  • NASA has paid Lockheed more than US$518 million since 2018 for the one‑off research demonstrator intended to generate data for U.S. and international regulators.