X-59

The X-59 QueSST (Quiet SuperSonic Technology) is an experimental aircraft developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in collaboration with Lockheed Martin. It is designed to demonstrate technologies that reduce the loud sonic boom created by supersonic flight to a quiet “thump,” enabling the possibility of supersonic commercial travel over land. The X-59 is part of NASA’s Low-Boom Flight Demonstrator programme and represents a significant step toward reintroducing civil supersonic aviation with reduced environmental impact.

Background

Since the retirement of the Concorde in 2003, no commercial supersonic passenger aircraft have been in operation. A major obstacle to supersonic aviation is the sonic boom, a loud and disruptive shock wave produced when an aircraft travels faster than the speed of sound. Regulations in the United States and many other countries prohibit supersonic flight over land due to noise concerns.
To address this challenge, NASA initiated the X-59 project to test aircraft designs capable of minimising sonic boom noise. The aircraft is expected to provide data for regulators, potentially leading to new standards that permit commercial supersonic travel in populated regions.

Design and Features

The X-59 incorporates innovative aerodynamic and structural features specifically engineered to shape shock waves during supersonic flight:

• Dimensions: Approximately 29 metres long and 9 metres wide.
• Engine Placement: A single General Electric F414 turbofan engine mounted on top of the fuselage to reduce ground-level noise.
• Long Nose Design: A distinctive 9-metre-long nose helps spread shock waves along the fuselage to prevent a sharp boom.
• Cockpit: Pilots use an External Vision System (XVS), which replaces a traditional forward-facing window with a high-resolution camera system and cockpit displays, due to the extended nose blocking direct forward view.
• Flight Speed: Designed to cruise at Mach 1.4 (about 1,490 km/h) at an altitude of approximately 55,000 feet.
• Noise Reduction: Expected to reduce sonic boom noise from the typical 100–110 decibels to about 75 decibels, perceived as a soft thump.

Development

• Contract Award: In 2018, Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works division received the contract to design and build the X-59.
• Construction: Began in 2019 at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Palmdale, California.
• Assembly and Testing: Structural assembly, integration of flight systems, and ground testing progressed through the early 2020s.
• Rollout and First Flight: The first flight is planned for the mid-2020s, with flight tests aimed at measuring community responses to low-boom overflights.

Objectives and Missions

The X-59 programme has several key objectives:

• Low-Boom Validation: Demonstrate that aircraft can fly supersonically while minimising disruptive sonic booms.
• Community Response Studies: Conduct overland test flights across selected communities to collect data on public reaction to low-boom noise.
• Regulatory Impact: Provide scientific evidence to agencies such as the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to inform future noise regulations.
• Commercial Application: Lay the foundation for the return of supersonic passenger aircraft capable of overland flight.

Significance

The X-59 is not intended as a commercial aircraft but as a technology demonstrator. Its successful operation could influence global aviation policies, enabling the next generation of quieter and more environmentally sustainable supersonic aircraft.
Key potential benefits include:

• Shorter travel times for long-distance flights.
• Revival of commercial supersonic aviation after decades of absence.
• Technological advances in aerodynamics, propulsion, and avionics.

Future Prospects

Following flight testing, NASA will provide findings to regulatory authorities to consider revising current bans on overland supersonic flight. If regulations evolve, aerospace companies could pursue development of commercial supersonic airliners using low-boom designs inspired by the X-59.