The X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology (QueSST) aircraft, developed by NASA and Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, is designed to reduce the traditional sonic boom to a much quieter "thump" to enable potential supersonic flight over land.
October 23, 2025
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Design goal aimed at mitigating sonic-boom noise to allow supersonic operations over land.
The X-59 is designed for a cruising speed of approximately 925 miles per hour (about Mach 1.4) and an operational altitude near 55,000 feet.
October 23, 2025
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Design performance specifications for the X-59 experimental quiet supersonic aircraft.
The X-59's long, pointed nose design reduces direct forward visibility, leading the design to rely on forward-looking imagery presented on a cockpit monitor for pilot situational awareness.
October 23, 2025
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Aerodynamic shaping that trades direct pilot forward visibility for low-sonic-boom shaping, mitigated by remote imagery systems.