NASA tests X-59 supersonic aircraft engine for the first time

NASA's quiet supersonic aircraft is moving closer to its first test flight after passing engine testing.

Starting on October 30, engineers from NASA's X-59 Quest (Quiet Supersonic Technology) program conducted a series of tests with the jet's engine at Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California, according to Space . The testing took place in stages. In the preliminary test, the team ran the X-59's engine at low speeds without firing to check for any leaks and ensure the plane's various systems worked together. The X-59 team then fueled the X-59 and tested the engine. So far, the jet has been performing very well, they said.

The X-59 aircraft in storage at the Skunk Works facility. (Photo: NASA).

The X-59 was designed to cruise at Mach 1.4 (1,728 km/h) and altitudes of 16.7 km. It was powered by a modified General Electric F414-GE-100 turbofan engine . The F414 engine family is widely used in military aircraft, including some versions of the US Navy's Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet. NASA used the F/A-18 to simulate the sound of the X-59 and test microphones and other acoustic sensors.

The X-59's design allows the vehicle to fly faster than the speed of sound without creating the sonic boom that often occurs when breaking the sound barrier. Currently, hypersonic flight over land is banned by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). NASA hopes the X-59 will help prove that hypersonic flight can occur without creating a deafening boom. That could cut domestic flight times in half, helping not only commercial aviation but also disaster relief and medical evacuation.

To reduce the sonic boom, the X-59 has a unique geometry that includes a beak-like nose extension (11.5 m) compared to the aircraft's total length of 30 m. Instead of emitting a loud explosion that shakes the ground, the jet only makes a soft sound like a car door slamming when it breaks the sound barrier. However, due to the extended nose, the X-59 pilot will have limited forward visibility. The aircraft's cockpit does not even have windows at the front, but is equipped with an eXternal Vision System (XVS) , which includes a camera connected to a screen in the cockpit, allowing the pilot to see ahead through virtual reality technology.

The next phase of testing involves feeding data into the aircraft's computer systems under both normal and damaged conditions to see how the vehicle responds. The X-59 will then run on runways to see how its surfaces, brakes, and engines perform on the ground. NASA has not yet revealed when the X-59 will take to the air for the first time. The X-59 is expected to fly over several US cities so researchers can collect data on the quieter sound the aircraft makes, as well as how the public reacts to it.