Article NASA’s X-59 “frankenjet” tests supersonic flight without the sonic boom

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https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/06/...onic-boom/

INTRO: More than two decades since the Concorde supersonic airliner last took to the skies, NASA has been flying an experimental aircraft designed to replace loud sonic booms with a quieter thump equivalent to a car door slamming shut 20 feet away. A successful NASA flight test program could influence the design of future supersonic airliners capable of flying overland routes without rattling buildings—and people’s nerves.

The Lockheed Martin X-59 Quesst—an acronym for Quiet SuperSonic Technology—first took flight late last year and recently began supersonic test flights. But unlike with many experimental “X-plane” aircraft that may never leave restricted airspace near Edwards Air Force Base in California, NASA plans to eventually take the X-59 on a tour around the United States so residents of various cities and towns can provide feedback on the quieter sonic “thumps” it produces.

“Usually an X plane is kind of bare-bones—‘cobble it together from a bunch of parts from other airplanes and just demonstrate one thing,’” said Jim “Clue” Less, a NASA test pilot and aerospace engineer, in an interview with Ars. “We need to demonstrate that one thing, but then we need a plane that’s robust enough that we can fly it all over the place and gather that data.”

The move comes at a time when the US Congress has been advancing legislation that could legalize overland supersonic travel. That would reverse a 1973 ban implemented by the US Federal Aviation Administration, which was informed by the public backlash and noise complaints following US military tests of supersonic flights over Oklahoma City, Chicago, and St. Louis in the 1960s.

But even if the X-59 program shows that quieter supersonic travel is possible, any potential revival of commercial supersonic flights would still have to prove financially viable despite challenges such as massive fuel consumption costs... (MORE - details)

https://youtu.be/lmwKBaVFNps

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/lmwKBaVFNps

[Yazata]

It isn't just NASA researching supersonic aircraft with reduced sonic booms.

Boom Technologies has been flying an aircraft with a very similar configuration out of Mojave Air and Space Port in the Mojave desert.

https://boomsupersonic.com/xb-1

Boom was founded by Blake Scholl who fell in love with the Concorde as a child and wanted to bring back supersonic airliners.

The company was initially funded with $33 million from several venture capital funds, got a $10 million infusion from Japan airlines, and had $156 million raised by 2020. That enabled them to build their XB-1 demonstrator aircraft. This airplane has flown successfully a number of times, and the success of its design concept has attracted more investment. Boom is reportedly valued at about $600 million now.

Boom has plans to produce a 60-80 seat supersonic airliner called Overture. The company has announced plans to build a factory to build their Overture airliners in Greensboro NC. Grok the AI says that Boom has received options from several major airlines including Japan airlines, United and American to buy up to 130 Overtures, when they become available about 2030.

XB-1 and NASA's QueSST both employ the same principles to reduce sonic booms. Grok explains it this way:

"To minimize wave drag—a primary inefficiency in supersonic flight—Boom incorporates area ruling principles, shaping the fuselage into a contoured, Coke-bottle form that smooths the aircraft's cross-sectional area distribution from nose to tail.[38] This tapering design reduces abrupt changes in air displacement, lowering the intensity of shock waves and overall drag by optimizing volume progression along the airframe.[35] Complementary nose shaping features a pointed, elongated profile that further diminishes initial shock strength, while thinner wings integrated with the ruled fuselage enhance the overall aerodynamic efficiency.[38]

Boom integrates quiet supersonic concepts akin to NASA's QueSST initiative, focusing on airframe shaping to disperse shock waves and produce a softer "thump" rather than a disruptive boom on the ground, facilitating regulatory approval for supersonic overland travel.[39] These low-boom optimizations, achieved through extensive computational fluid dynamics simulations and wind tunnel testing, ensure the design meets noise thresholds comparable to subsonic airliners during critical flight phases.[35] The Overture airliner exemplifies this approach, applying these aerodynamic and structural elements to support efficient, quieter transcontinental routes."

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[Yazata]

Coincidently, today the FAA announced new rules setting noise standards for supersonic flight across the United States, so that manufacturers (like Boom) will know what levels they will have to achieve.

https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-...-coming-us

The US Department of Transportation says:

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy today announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is taking a pivotal step toward enabling civil supersonic flights over the continental United States. Thanks to massive innovations in supersonic technology, it will be possible to safely operate these innovative aircraft without a sonic boom. When operational, next-gen supersonic planes will drastically reduce travel times–enabling faster movement of people and goods.

Today’s proposed rule sets a noise-based certification standard for supersonic aircraft. In addition to this first rule, the FAA plans to propose another rule later this year, establishing landing and takeoff noise standards for supersonic aircraft.

Together, these actions will give manufacturers the guidance they need to finalize their designs and bring these exciting innovations online.