Key facts
- NASA's X-59 experimental supersonic jet is nearing its first flight.
- The X-59 is designed to produce a quiet 'thump' instead of a loud sonic boom.
- This technology could enable faster commercial air travel over land.
NASA's X-59 experimental supersonic jet is nearing its first flight. The aircraft is designed to significantly reduce the sound of a sonic boom, a key hurdle that has prevented supersonic commercial air travel over land since the Concorde was retired. The X-59's unique design aims to produce a quiet 'thump' instead of a loud boom, potentially paving the way for a new era of faster commercial flights, such as cutting travel time between London and New York. The development represents a significant step in aerospace engineering and the pursuit of advanced aviation technologies.