Overview
- The X-59 hit the program’s mission conditions by flying at Mach 1.4 near 55,000 feet, a performance milestone NASA achieved on Friday, June 12, 2026.
- Reaching that speed and altitude is required before the aircraft can be flown over populated areas to test how its noise is perceived on the ground.
- Engineers say the X-59’s long nose and shielded engine shape separate pressure waves so the jet should produce a much quieter “sonic thump” rather than a loud boom.
- Earlier supersonic runs had their acoustic data masked by sonic booms from an F-15 chase jet, so NASA plans to add a shock sensor to the F-15 and run more flights at varied speeds and heights to capture clean measurements.
- NASA will pair measured sound data with resident surveys during planned community overflights to give regulators evidence that could lead to reconsidering the long-standing ban on commercial supersonic flight over land, a change that could affect future passenger service economics.