Nasa’s X-59, a unique quiet supersonic aircraft, was revealed on Friday in Palmdale, California, with Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. The experimental aircraft aims to enable commercial supersonic flight by flying at 1.4 times the speed of sound (925mph or 1,488 km/h).
The aircraft has a long, thin nose that disperses shock waves and reduces sonic booms. It also has a cockpit in the middle, an engine on top and a smooth underside. The cockpit has no forward-facing windows, but uses high-resolution cameras and monitors instead.
Nasa’s deputy administrator, Pam Melroy, said: “This is a breakthrough in advancing aviation technology. The external vision system could benefit future aircraft designs where the window is not needed for engineering reasons.”
The X-59 will have its first flight this year and its first quiet supersonic flight later, Nasa said.
One of the main obstacles for commercial supersonic travel over land in the US has been the public’s objection to the loud sonic booms that could be heard from far away. This prohibition was addressed by Bob Pearce, Nasa’s associate administrator for its aeronautics research mission, at the launch event on Friday.
He said: “We have demonstrated through grounded flight testing that it is possible to design an aircraft that would produce a gentle thump instead of a sonic boom. The question is whether that thump is quiet enough to allow supersonic flight over land. Our laboratory studies suggest yes, but the real answer can only be obtained by involving the people who would hear it during their daily lives.”
Pearce said the X-59’s role would be to “gather data from the people below, assess if that sonic thump is acceptable and then provide the data to US and international regulatory authorities in hopes to then lift that ban”.
David Richardson, Lockheed Martin’s X-59 program director, said in the post-launch press conference that taxi tests of the X-59 were expected to start around late spring or early summer.
He said adds that if anything did not work properly, they will make adjustment. Or either repalce the parts that are not functioning. They will ensure that the airplane is fully function. Meanwhile, it’s airworthy and safe before commit to it’s first flight.
