NASA's X-59 research plane has completed a key test flight at Mach 1.4 and 55,000 feet. The milestone brings it closer to future community overflights as part of the Quesst mission.
The aircraft reached these conditions during a flight on Friday. This followed an earlier supersonic test on June 5 that achieved Mach 1.1. The plane flew alongside another research craft to mask its noise during testing.
NASA described the latest flight as an even more critical step toward the Quesst mission goals. The X-59 is designed to produce a quiet sonic thump rather than a traditional boom when flying at supersonic speeds.
An acoustic validation phase will measure the aircraft's sound signature before the Quesst mission begins. That mission, still months away, will involve flights over populated areas to gather public feedback on the thump.
