Producer: Mehak Pal Editor: Mohit Bisht
NASA and Lockheed Martin, an American aerospace company unveiled the agency's ‘X-59 Quesst supersonic aircraft’ on January 12, 2024.
According to NASA, this flight is designed to collect data that could potentially transform air travel.
The mission aims to showcase the X-59's ability to achieve supersonic flight without producing disruptive sonic booms.
The mission also involves gathering public feedback on the quieter sonic “thumps” generated by the aircraft when flying overhead.
According to NASA, the X-59 is anticipated to reach speeds of 1.4 times the speed of sound, equivalent to 925 mph.
The aircraft is scheduled to have its inaugural flight later this year, followed by its first quiet supersonic flight.
The 99.7-foot-long, 29.5-foot-wide aircraft is powered by a single jet engine. It will be operated by a single pilot.
After completing flight tests, NASA plans to fly the X-59 over selected cities in the US gathering public input on the sound generated by the aircraft.
The X-59 is categorised as a unique experimental airplane rather than a prototype.