NASA And Lockheed Martin Test X-59, 30-Meter Supersonic Jet That Promises To Break The Sound Barrier Without Noise And Cut Travel Time In Half

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 03/11/2025 at 10:00

Jato supersônico X-59 da NASA voa pela primeira vez e promete viagens comerciais mais rápidas e silenciosas, sem o barulho dos antigos Concorde

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With 30 Meters in Length, the X-59 Completed Its First Flight Over the California Desert. The Project Aims to Eliminate Sonic Boom and Drastically Reduce Travel Time Between Major Cities

NASA and Lockheed Martin took an important step in the development of quiet supersonic jets. This week, an experimental aircraft designed to fly faster than sound with low noise completed its first test flight over the southern California desert just after sunrise. The event marked an advancement that could transform commercial air travel.

The Inaugural Flight of the X-59

The experimental jet, named X-59, was developed to achieve supersonic speeds without causing the sonic boom that has historically limited this type of operation over populated areas. During the test, the aircraft did not exceed the sound barrier.

The main objective was to verify structural integrity and flight systems. Nevertheless, the takeoff was celebrated as a significant milestone by NASA and Lockheed Martin.

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Reducing Noise and Travel Time

Since the 1940s, aircraft have reached supersonic speeds, but the explosive noise—the so-called sonic boom—led to the ban of these flights over land in the United States. The famous Concorde, operated by British Airways and Air France, offered transatlantic flights between the 1970s and 2000, but was retired in 2003 following an accident and high operational costs.

The X-59 promises a revolution by flying faster than sound with just a “slight bump,” as described by Lockheed Martin. If the project meets its goals, trips between cities like New York and Los Angeles could take half the current time, reopening the path for the resurgence of commercial supersonic travel.

NASA intends to use the results to propose regulatory changes that would allow the return of these flights over American territory, this time in a quiet and efficient manner.

NASA And Lockheed Martin Test X-59, 30-Meter Supersonic Jet That Promises To Break The Sound Barrier Without Noise And Cut Travel Time In Half

With 30 Meters in Length, the X-59 Completed Its First Flight Over the California Desert. The Project Aims to Eliminate Sonic Boom and Drastically Reduce Travel Time Between Major Cities

The Inaugural Flight of the X-59

Reducing Noise and Travel Time

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NASA And Lockheed Martin Test X-59, 30-Meter Supersonic Jet That Promises To Break The Sound Barrier Without Noise And Cut Travel Time In Half

With 30 Meters in Length, the X-59 Completed Its First Flight Over the California Desert. The Project Aims to Eliminate Sonic Boom and Drastically Reduce Travel Time Between Major Cities

The Inaugural Flight of the X-59

Reducing Noise and Travel Time

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Austrian engineers have developed an inflatable concrete technology that transforms flat slabs into domes using only air pressure, eliminating scaffolding and temporary forms, and potentially changing the way bridges, tunnels, and curved roofs are constructed worldwide.

Australia prepares to dredge 96.5 million m³ in Moreton Bay to deepen, widen, and realign channels of the Port of Brisbane, in a project of up to 25 years designed to accommodate larger ships and enhance maritime safety and regional port efficiency.

Cristiano Ronaldo builds a billion-dollar mansion in Portugal with 54,000 square feet, a 3-acre plot facing the Atlantic, private spa, indoor and outdoor pools, and an estimated value of an impressive R$ 385 million.

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