NASA and Lockheed Martin fly X-59 quiet supersonic jet for the 1st time
October 29, 2025
It may be the most striking aircraft to take to the skies in a generation—long, needle-nosed and almost ethereal in shape. NASA’s X-59, built with Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works, has finally flown, marking a bold step toward a future where speed no longer comes with a sonic boom.
The sleek, “one-of-a-kind aircraft” lifted off from US Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, before touching down safely at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards. The mission marks a major step toward reviving supersonic travel for the commercial world.
The X-59 has completed its first flight! 🎉✈️
— Lockheed Martin (@LockheedMartin) October 28, 2025
A new era of supersonic flight begins with Skunk Works® and @NASA. pic.twitter.com/iqtNWC6TxJ
During its maiden sortie, the single-engine jet verified key systems, including engine performance, air data, stability and control, completing a smooth circuit across the Mojave skies exactly as engineers planned.
At the controls was NASA’s lead test pilot, Nils Larson, who guided the aircraft through its first airborne test, reaching a peak altitude of around 12,000 feet and a top speed of 230 miles per hour—deliberately subsonic for this initial shakedown flight.
A long-planned milestone realised with X-59 first flight
The successful flight marked the culmination of years of design, simulation and rigorous ground testing.
Before takeoff, NASA said the first mission would be a “lower-altitude loop” at around 240 mph, intended to confirm that the X-59’s systems—from flight controls to its digital instrumentation suite—were working seamlessly. Those expectations were fully met.
“We are thrilled to achieve the first flight of the X-59,” said OJ Sanchez, Vice President and General Manager of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works.
“This aircraft is a testament to the innovation and expertise of our joint team, and we are proud to be at the forefront of quiet supersonic technology development.”
Shaping a quieter supersonic era with NASA’s X-59
The X-59 is the centrepiece of NASA’s Quesst mission, which aims to demonstrate that supersonic flight can be achieved without the disruptive “boom” that once made such aircraft unwelcome over land.
Instead of the window-rattling crack of a traditional sonic boom, the X-59’s carefully sculpted fuselage and extended nose are designed to transform that explosive pressure wave into a subdued “sonic thump”—no louder than a car door closing.
X-59 is wild! pic.twitter.com/xnvINT8UX4
— jmh.creates (@JarodMHamilton) October 28, 2025
NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy called the flight “a symbol of American ingenuity,” adding:
“The American spirit knows no bounds. It’s part of our DNA—the desire to go farther, faster and even quieter than anyone has gone before. This work sustains America’s leadership in aviation and has the potential to change the way the public flies.”
X-59 aircraft design and mission objectives
At nearly 100 feet long, the X-59 is unlike any aircraft ever built. Designed to cruise at Mach 1.4 (around 925 mph) at 55,000 feet, it will eventually fly twice as high and nearly twice as fast as a modern airliner.
But beyond speed, it is the acoustic and aerodynamic engineering that makes the X-59 revolutionary. NASA and Lockheed Martin engineers have spent years modelling how every surface—from its needle-like nose to its cranked delta wings—disperses shock waves to keep noise to a minimum.
The resulting data will later be shared with regulators and the public to help establish acceptable noise thresholds for future supersonic flights over land.
NASA plans to fly the X-59 over selected communities across the United States in the coming years. Residents will be asked to report their reactions to the muted “thumps” they hear from the ground—vital data that could shape the first new rules for civilian supersonic travel in decades.
Engineering innovation behind the X-59 quiet supersonic jet
Beneath the X-59’s slender frame lies a sophisticated web of safety systems and engineering breakthroughs. Engineers have equipped the aircraft with:
- Digital fly-by-wire controls for precision handling
- Redundant hydraulics and electrical systems
- A Flight Test Instrumentation System (FTIS) capable of recording over 20,000 parameters from 60 data streams
- Life-support and emergency systems adapted from proven USAF technologies, including a T-38 ejection seat
- A hydrazine-based emergency restart unit for backup power and fuel flow redundancy
NASA test pilot Nils Larson, who flew the X-59’s maiden mission, previously described the teamwork behind the programme:
“There’s a lot of trust that goes into flying something new. You’re trusting the engineers, the maintainers, the designers—everyone who has touched the aircraft. If they trust the aircraft, and they trust me in it, then I’m all in.”
What’s next for NASA and Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works?
The maiden flight is only the beginning. Over the next year, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and NASA will gradually expand the aircraft’s flight envelope, leading to its first supersonic test flights at higher altitudes.
Once data from those missions is collected, NASA will move into the community flight testing phase—the most critical step in proving that commercial supersonic flight can return, this time without the noise that once grounded it.
Since 2018, NASA has invested more than $518 million in the X-59 project, underscoring its ambition to redefine the sound barrier for a new generation.
If successful, the X-59 could lay the groundwork for a new class of commercial supersonic aircraft capable of flying from New York to London in under four hours—quietly and sustainably.
Featured image: Lockheed Martin
