NASA's X-59 Completes First Taxi Tests Before First Flight

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft took a major step forward on July 10, as it completed its first low-speed taxi test at U.S. Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California. This marked the first time the unique aircraft moved under its own power.

Conducted by NASA test pilot Nils Larson with support from NASA and Lockheed Martin engineers, the test initiated the final series of ground checks ahead of the aircraft’s maiden flight. Over the coming weeks, X-59 will undergo progressively faster taxi tests, culminating in a high-speed run that will take it just shy of takeoff speed.

During the low-speed phase, crews carefully evaluated systems including braking, steering, and overall stability to ensure safe handling during actual flight conditions. These checks are critical for confirming system integrity and performance.

The X-59 is the centerpiece of NASA’s Quesst mission, which seeks to demonstrate low-boom supersonic flight. The goal is to reduce the typical sonic boom to a soft “thump,” enabling the possibility of commercial supersonic flights over land — something currently banned in many parts of the world due to noise regulations.

Flight data from the X-59 will be shared with U.S. and international regulators to inform new standards for acceptable noise levels, potentially paving the way for a new era of high-speed, overland air travel.

The X-59 is the result of a partnership between NASA and Lockheed Martin under the Quesst mission, which aims to make quiet supersonic commercial flight possible. The aircraft features a long, narrow design and advanced aerodynamic solutions that minimize the shock waves generated when breaking the sound barrier — the main cause of the typical sonic boom.

Unlike the Concorde, which was banned from flying over land due to its loud noise, the X-59 is engineered to produce a sound comparable to a car door closing, even while cruising at over 750 mph (1,200 km/h). If successful, the data collected from its flights will help shape more flexible international regulations, paving the way for a new generation of supersonic airliners capable of operating transcontinental routes over populated areas.

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Ricardo Meier

Creator of the website that started in 1996 as a magazine. He also writes on Brazilian websites AUTOO, MOTOO and MetrôCPTM.

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