After nearly a decade of design work, engineering trials, and countless ground tests, NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft soared into the sky for the first time on Oct. 28, marking a landmark achievement for the agency’s Quesst mission and the future of commercial supersonic flight.
NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft cruises above Palmdale and Edwards, California, during its first flight, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. The aircraft traveled to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. NASA/Lori Losey
The long-nosed, experimental jet — built to demonstrate that supersonic travel can be quiet enough for regular use over land — lifted off from U.S. Air Force Plant 42 at 11:14 a.m. EDT. The inaugural flight lasted 67 minutes, taking the aircraft across Palmdale and Edwards, California, before landing at its new base, NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center.
“Once again, NASA and America are leading the way for the future of flight,” said acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy. “The X-59 is a breakthrough — the first aircraft of its kind, built to make commercial air travel both faster and dramatically quieter. This is American ingenuity at its finest.”
Test pilot Nils Larson, who has spent years training for this moment, guided the X-59 through its debut. After a short taxi from Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility, Larson performed final checks, received clearance, and pushed the throttle forward, joining the small group of pilots who have taken an experimental X-plane airborne for the first time.
“All the training prepares you,” Larson said. “There’s a moment where you feel the weight of what you’re about to do — but then the mission takes over, the checklists begin, and before you know it, the flight is complete.”
For safety, the aircraft remained subsonic throughout the first flight, topping out at about 230 mph and reaching an altitude of 12,000 feet. Landing gear stayed extended the entire time as engineers focused on verifying basic aircraft performance and airworthiness.
A New Chapter in NASA’s X-Plane Legacy
The X-59 represents NASA’s first major, piloted X-plane in more than two decades — a lineage that includes such historic aircraft as the X-1, which first broke the sound barrier in 1947, and the X-15, which pushed the boundaries of speed and altitude in the 1960s.
“The X-59 is a validation of what NASA Aeronautics exists to do,” said Bob Pearce, associate administrator for NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. “We envision the future of flight — and then we build it.”
Brad Flick, director of NASA Armstrong, echoed the sentiment: “In this industry, there’s nothing like a first flight. There’s no rulebook for an X-plane. You adapt, you make the right decisions, and you learn.”
The X-59’s unique shape directly serves its mission. The long, slender nose, top-mounted engine, and mid-fuselage cockpit are all intended to control and redistribute shock waves, transforming the traditional ear-shattering sonic boom into a soft “sonic thump” that many people may barely notice.
Pilots rely on NASA’s cutting-edge eXternal Vision System instead of a forward window, using high-definition displays and cameras to see ahead — technology essential to the aircraft’s unusual aerodynamic design.
During future flights, the aircraft will accelerate to its target performance: Mach 1.4 (about 925 mph) at 55,000 feet. Engineers will study how its shock waves form and disperse, data crucial to validating quiet supersonic technology.
Preparing for Nationwide Community Flights
The X-59’s ultimate purpose is not just technological demonstration but public engagement. NASA plans to fly the jet over selected U.S. communities, measuring sound levels and gathering feedback from residents to determine whether the quieter “thump” is acceptable for routine overland supersonic travel.
“Most X-planes stay within restricted airspace,” Flick said. “This one will fly across the country. It’s built to change the future of aviation.”
The community flights will help regulators craft new sound-based rules that could one day allow commercial supersonic airliners to fly over populated areas — something banned since the 1970s due to loud sonic booms.
As the X-59 lifted off for its maiden flight, it carried NASA’s experimental spirit back into the skies: a reminder that the frontier of flight is still very much alive.
With flight testing now underway, the agency moves one step closer to unlocking a future where passengers can fly across continents in half the time — without the thunderous noise that once made supersonic travel over land impossible.
Add comment
Comments