NASA to reveal X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft next week: All you need to know

NASA is all set to reveal its X-59 aircraft on Friday, January 12, as part of its Quesst mission to make commercial supersonic flight a reality. X-59 is a one-of-a-kind experimental aircraft designed to fly faster than the speed of sound, without producing a loud, disruptive sonic boom typically associated with such velocities.

The X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft will be unveiled for the first time during a ceremony hosted by prime contractor Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, California. The event will be streamed live on the NASA+ streaming service. The live coverage will also be available on NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency's website.

NASA plans to fly the X-59 over communities around the United States to demonstrate this technology and gather information on how the public perceives the sound the aircraft produces - if they hear anything at all. This data will be provided to the U.S. and international regulators to help them come up with rules based on noise levels that may enable new commercial markets for supersonic flight over land.

Watch the unveiling of @NASAAero's X-59 aircraft, set to fly this year to test quieter supersonic flight technology. The Quesst mission could help bring a return to supersonic air travel over land.Livestream starts Friday, Jan. 12 at 4pm ET (2100 UTC): https://t.co/RBo9WkII72 pic.twitter.com/b3mz9aiL9D

— NASA (@NASA) January 5, 2024