NASA's X-59 Supersonic Jet Could Take You From New York To London In Half The Time
On July 10, the 100-foot-long, 30-foot-wide X-59 demonstrated its capabilities on a runway at the US Air Force's Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, marking a significant milestone in its development, NASA said in a press release.
The successful taxi tests are the final series of trials before the X-59 takes to the skies, an event that could usher in a new era of supersonic travel, potentially halving flight times between major cities like New York and London. Imagine breakfast in New York and a mid-morning snack in London, a prospect that the X-59 aims to make a reality.
Watch the video here:
According to the space agency, the taxiing represents the X-59's last series of ground tests before its first flight. Over the coming weeks, the aircraft will gradually increase its speed, leading up to a high-speed taxi test that will take the aircraft just short of the point where it would take off.
During the low-speed tests, engineers and flight crews monitored how the X-59 handled as it moved across the runway, working to validate critical systems like steering and braking. These checks help ensure the aircraft's stability and control across a range of conditions, giving pilots and engineers confidence that all systems are functioning as expected.
The X-59 is the centrepiece of NASA's Quesst mission, which aims to demonstrate quiet supersonic flight by reducing the loud sonic boom to a quieter "thump." Data gathered from the X-59 will be shared with U.S. and international regulators to inform the establishment of new, data-driven acceptable noise thresholds related to supersonic commercial flight over land.
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