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NASA X-59 Reaches Supersonic Speeds in Quiet-Boom Test

October 28, 2025

2 min read

Key Takeaways

NASA's X-59 aircraft flew supersonic for the first time.
The aircraft reached Mach 1.1, or 713 mph.
The test focused on handling qualities at subsonic and supersonic speeds.
Next test aims to reach Mach 1.4 at 55,000 feet.

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Strategic Implications

This achievement may indicate significant progress in NASA's Quesst mission to enable civil supersonic flight over land. The X-59's quiet supersonic design could suggest a potential reduction in sonic boom impact, which could pave the way for future supersonic aircraft to fly over land, potentially altering the landscape of commercial aviation.

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What Happened

Supersonic Flight Milestone Achieved In Quiet Boom Research

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft has successfully flown faster than the speed of sound for the first time, reaching Mach 1.1 during an 81-minute test flight from Edwards Air Force Base in California. The test focused on the aircraft’s handling qualities at subsonic and supersonic speeds, marking a key step in the agency’s effort to usher in an era of civil supersonic flight over land. The X-59 is part of NASA’s Quesst mission, which aims to determine whether an aircraft can fly supersonic while producing a quieter ’thump’ instead of a traditional sonic boom. The next major step is a ‘mission conditions’ flight, expected in the coming days, according to AeroTime.

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