Boom Supersonic acquires former Reaction Engines test site
April 27, 2025
As Boom Supersonic turns its attention from its scaled XB-1 demonstrator to the design development of its supersonic airliner ‘Overture,’ the company has acquired a dedicated engine test facility at the Colorado Air and Space Port 35 miles from its existing headquarters.
At Farnborough International Airshow 2024, Boom confirmed that its medium bypass turbofan engine had “quickly progressed through design into hardware rig testing,” with initial prototype core tests to take place this year. “By vertically integrating propulsion, we are able to accelerate development, reduce costs, and custom-tailor an engine for Overture,” explained Boom Supersonic founder and CEO Blake Scholl.
The adoption of an existing engine test site also appears to be a prudent cost-mitigating measure, with Scholl writing on social media: “The most amazing thing about owning our own engine test facility is… how little it costs. We’re investing around $4 million in the site for safety upgrades and high-bandwidth data acquisition. Thie is the same $4 million we budgeted to rent a government facility for one test”.
Upgrades underway include upgrading safety infrastructure, building a fuel farm, and installing a data acquisition system and control room, continued Scholl. Boom also expects to expand the site in 2026 to facilitate full-scale testing of its entire Symphony turbofan prototype.
The site was formerly utilised by UK company Reaction Engines to demonstrate and test its hypersonic propulsion system, successfully demonstrating the integration of its innovate precooler technology with an existing jet engine in August 2024 before entering into administration just two months later. “We were sad to see them go last year but are excited to continue on the legacy of innovating to build things that enable a faster future,” commented Scholl.
With the Symphony engine having passed a key technical review in March 2025, multiple components have already entered the manufacturing phase, with engine assembly to precede the tests later this year. The engine will ultimately be produced at StandardAero in San Antonio, Texas. Other suppliers include Florida Turbine Technologies and Calibrium Additive.
