NASA’s project X-59, a test aircraft for its Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST), has successfully completed its maximum afterburner engine run test. The ground test, conducted at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility in California, marks a significant milestone in the project.
The X-59 is designed to reduce sonic booms and loud thunder-like sounds when flying supersonic, making it an important step towards commercial supersonic travel. The aircraft uses an F414-GE-100 engine with an afterburner to reach its speed requirements. The latest test validated the engine’s capacity to function within temperature ranges and with sufficient airflow for flight.
NASA’s X-59 is part of a larger effort to make supersonic travel viable for commercial use. The project builds on research data gathered from the Soviet Union’s Tupolev Tu-144, which was the world’s first commercial supersonic transport aircraft. NASA has been working on this project since the early 1990s and has made significant progress.
The X-59 is expected to have a design research speed of Mach 1.4, or 925 mph, flying at 55,000 feet. It will be flown by a single pilot and has undergone integrated systems testing, engine runs, and taxi testing before its first flight.
The project’s goal is to gather public opinion on the acceptability of supersonic jet noise characteristics. This information will be used by regulatory bodies to abolish the prohibition on supersonic flying over land. The X-59’s purpose is crucial in making supersonic travel a reality for commercial airlines.
China is also working on a supersonic passenger aircraft that could be ready for its maiden flight by 2027. However, the US appears to be leading the charge in making supersonic travel viable with the X-59 project.
Source: https://www.eurasiantimes.com/x-59-quesst-driven-by-russian-tu-144s