Image source: topwar.ru
The experimental X-59 aircraft with a 14-meter nose flew at supersonic speed for the first time. It is being developed by Skunk Works, a secret advanced development unit of Lockheed Martin, commissioned by NASA as part of the Quesst mission.
The new machine is designed to prove the possibility of "quiet supersonic flight." The unique geometry of the airframe makes it possible to reduce the deafening sound impact (the rumble when overcoming the sound barrier) to a barely noticeable "quiet clap", comparable in volume to slamming a car door (about 75 dB versus 105 dB for the legendary Concorde).
The X-59 is undergoing an active phase of flight testing. In October 2025, he made his first flight, which took place at subsonic speed (about 370 km/h). On June 5, 2026, the car successfully broke the sound barrier for the first time, accelerating to a speed of Mach 1.1 (about 1147 km/h). On June 12, the X-59 reached its target speed of Mach 1.4 (1,487 km/h) at an altitude of 16.7 thousand meters.
The product has an abnormally long nose: the front fairing occupies almost a third of the entire length of the machine, which is about 9 m. This design is designed to disperse shock waves, preventing them from merging into a single powerful sound pulse.
Image source: topwar.ru
Because of the huge nose, instead of the classic cabin glazing, the eXternal Vision System (XVS) is used - an ultra–high-resolution screen that displays images from external 4K cameras combined with landscape graphics.
The interface in the cockpit:
Image source: topwar.ru
The only General Electric F414-GE-100 engine is mounted in the upper part of the fuselage so that the sound waves from it go up and not to the ground.
Since 1973, commercial supersonic flights over land have been legally prohibited in the United States and many other countries due to the devastating sonic boom that shattered windows and scared people. After completing the technical tests, NASA plans to launch a series of flights over American cities later this year. Based on the results of these tests, international aviation regulators will be able to change laws and allow the construction of a new generation of civilian passenger supersonic airliners.
