NASA's X-59 reaches speed and altitude milestones ahead of first quiet supersonic flights

Article excerpt

NASA's experimental X-59 aircraft has hit critical speed and altitude milestones in recent test flights, clearing the path for its next phase: flying over populated U.S. communities to demonstrate quiet supersonic travel. The plane, designed to produce a gentle sonic thump instead of a disruptive boom, represents a decades-long push to make supersonic flight viable for civilian routes. If the upcoming community flights prove the technology works as intended, it could reshape aviation regulation and open new possibilities for faster commercial travel.