NASA’s X-59 Quiet Supersonic Jet Fires Up Engine for Testing
Edwards, Calif. – Nov. 6, 2024 – The experimental quiet supersonic X-59 aircraft fired up its engine for the first time today at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in California. This major milestone brings the aircraft one step closer to flight testing and is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the X-59 team.
The X-59 is a single-seat, low-boom supersonic demonstrator designed to fly at speeds of Mach 1.42 (1,000 mph) without producing a loud sonic boom on the ground. The aircraft is part of NASA’s Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST) project, which aims to develop technologies that will make supersonic flight over land more acceptable.
The engine that powered up today is a modified General Electric F414 engine. The engine has been modified with a number of features that will help to reduce noise, including a new inlet design and a variable-cycle exhaust system.
The engine test was conducted in a specially designed test cell at Armstrong Flight Research Center. The test cell is designed to simulate the conditions that the engine will encounter during flight. During the test, the engine was run at various speeds and power settings. The data collected from the test will be used to validate the engine’s performance and to help prepare for flight testing.
“This is a major milestone for the X-59 program,” said Mike Griffin, NASA’s associate administrator for aeronautics research. “We are now one step closer to flight testing and to demonstrating that supersonic flight can be quiet.”
The X-59 is expected to begin flight testing in 2025. The aircraft will conduct a series of test flights over a three-year period. The data collected from these flights will be used to validate the aircraft’s design and to help develop new technologies that will make supersonic flight over land more acceptable.
The X-59 program is a major step forward in NASA’s efforts to develop quieter supersonic aircraft. The success of this program could lead to the development of new commercial supersonic aircraft that will be able to fly over land without causing a loud sonic boom.
For more information about the X-59 program, visit: www.nasa.gov/x-59
X-59’s Engine Started for Testing
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