NASA’s X-59 supersonic demonstrator has successfully completed its maiden flight, marking a significant milestone in the agency’s quest to pioneer quiet supersonic travel.

Developed in collaboration with Lockheed Martin’s renowned Skunk Works division, the experimental aircraft took off from Palmdale, California, on 28 October and landed safely at Edwards Air Force Base after a one-hour and seven-minute sortie.

The jet’s first flight confirmed planned performance metrics, including flying qualities, air data systems, and flight control functions. Lockheed Martin stated that the X-59 performed exactly as expected, meeting all mission requirements during its debut operation.

Flight tracking data indicated the jet departed Palmdale Regional Airport at 08:13 local time, flew north, and conducted several circuits over Edwards before completing its landing.

The X-59 is powered by a single GE Aerospace F414-GE-100 turbofan engine, delivering roughly 22,000 pounds of thrust.

Equipped with advanced fly-by-wire systems, the aircraft is designed to reach speeds approaching Mach 1.4.

Unlike conventional supersonic jets that generate disruptive sonic booms, the X-59’s innovative design aims to produce a gentle “thump” — a far quieter signature crucial to enabling future overland supersonic flight.

Lockheed Martin developed the aircraft under NASA’s Low-Boom Flight Demonstrator programme, a flagship initiative to redefine supersonic aviation for commercial use. The objective is to gather acoustic data during forthcoming “community flights” across selected US regions.

These sound measurements will support the Federal Aviation Administration’s efforts to revise long-standing restrictions on civilian supersonic flight over land, potentially paving the way for a new generation of high-speed passenger aircraft.

Both NASA and Lockheed Martin hailed the flight as a major technological triumph. OJ Sanchez, vice-president and general manager of Skunk Works, described the X-59 as a testament to innovation and collaborative excellence.

NASA’s acting administrator, Sean Duffy, called it a symbol of American ingenuity and reaffirmed that the project strengthens the nation’s leadership in aerospace innovation while reshaping the future of air travel.

Over the coming months, the joint NASA–Lockheed team will expand the aircraft’s flight envelope through progressive test phases. These trials will include the jet’s first supersonic runs, conducted to fine-tune performance and validate the low-boom acoustic profile at optimal speeds and altitudes. 

Despite the US government’s ongoing shutdown affecting certain agency operations, NASA and its partners have reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining test momentum, with further flights scheduled before the year-end.

Agencies