When you think of supersonic jets, you probably imagine ear-shattering booms rattling windows and startling everyone below. But NASA is about to flip that story. With the upcoming maiden flight of its experimental X-59 supersonic jet, the agency is testing whether the future of air travel can be both blisteringly fast and surprisingly quiet.
The X-59: A Jet That Thumps Instead of Booms
The X-59, built under NASA’s Quesst mission, isn’t your typical aircraft. Imagine a plane with a needle-like nose stretching far out in front, a cockpit tucked in the middle of the fuselage with no forward-facing windows, and a powerful engine mounted on top. This unusual design isn’t about style—it’s about sound. By reshaping the way shockwaves form and spread, the X-59 aims to swap the dreaded “sonic boom” for a softer, far less disruptive “thump.”
At cruising speeds of Mach 1.42 (about 925 mph) and altitudes of 55,000 feet, the jet will test whether supersonic travel can return to our skies without the noise complaints that grounded previous projects like the Concorde.
Meet the Pilot: Nils Larson
Test pilot Nils Larson will take the controls for the very first flight, departing from Palmdale and looping to Edwards, California. This one-hour, low-altitude test won’t be about speed records, it’s about safety. The X-59 comes packed with digital fly-by-wire controls, redundant backup systems, and an ejection-ready seat in case things get hairy. Think of it as the shakedown cruise before the real adventure begins.
From Sonic Booms to Silent Cities
NASA’s ultimate goal goes far beyond a single flight. Over the next few years, the agency plans to fly the X-59 over selected U.S. communities and ask residents what they hear, and more importantly, how they feel about it. This real-world feedback will give regulators, like the FAA, the data they need to replace outdated 1970s bans on overland supersonic flights.
With a recent executive order urging the FAA to modernize noise certification standards, the X-59 could open the skies to a new era of fast, quiet, and efficient travel. One day, hopping across the Atlantic in just a few hours might be as routine as today’s long-haul flights—only without the window-rattling drama.
Featured image source: CNN
