NASA’s experimental X-59 aircraft has successfully broken the sound barrier for the first time, marking a pivotal advancement in quiet supersonic technology. Developed in partnership with Lockheed Martin, the jet aims to replace the deafening sonic boom of traditional supersonic flight with a soft thump.
Test pilot Jim "Clue" Less flew the craft on an 81-minute round trip from Edwards Air Force Base in California. During the mission, the X-59 reached Mach 1.1-713 mph-at an altitude of 43,400 feet.
This achievement represents a critical step toward enabling future commercial supersonic travel over land without disturbing communities below.