NASA has built an unusual aircraft called the X-59, and soon it will attempt something remarkable: flying faster than the speed of sound while making almost no noise.
The X-59 has a unique design. Its long, needle-shaped fuselage is so different that the pilot cannot use a traditional window. Instead, cameras display the view on a screen inside the cockpit. This strange shape serves an important purpose.
When aircraft break the sound barrier, shock waves combine into a loud boom that disturbs people on the ground. This is why supersonic flight has been banned over land in the United States since 1973. The X-59 solves this problem by spreading out the shock waves so they never merge into one loud bang. Instead of a boom, the aircraft produces only a soft "thump."
Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works division designed and built the X-59 for NASA. The jet is about 99 feet long and roughly 29 feet wide. After its first flight in October 2025, the aircraft has gradually increased its speed through multiple test flights. It has nearly reached the speed of sound, reaching Mach 0.95 (627 mph).
Now NASA plans its first supersonic flight at roughly 43,000 feet, pushing past Mach 1 and exceeding about 630 mph. If successful, this experiment could change aviation rules. The data collected might allow regulators to lift restrictions on supersonic flight over populated areas, potentially bringing back commercial supersonic travel. A recent executive order has already directed the Federal Aviation Administration to consider repealing its longtime ban.