US unveils new supersonic, noise-canceling aircraft

Close-up of the new supersonic aircraft

In a joint ceremony with Skunk Works, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, in Palmdale, California, on January 13 (Vietnam time), NASA launched the X-59, an experimental hypersonic aircraft that is expected to reach speeds 1.4 times faster than sound (1,488 km/h).

The X-59 is 100 feet long and 30 feet wide, with a thin, tapered nose that accounts for nearly a third of the plane's overall length. This feature is designed to disperse the shock waves that normally engulf the plane and cause sonic booms.

In an effort to further enhance the aircraft's supersonic capabilities, engineers moved the cockpit down to nearly half its length and eliminated the forward-facing windows found on other aircraft.

Explaining the X-59 configuration at the launch, NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy said: "We made decisions to reduce the noise level of the aircraft, but it's really a significant step forward for the aircraft itself and for the advancement of aviation technology."

X-59 is expected to take off this year

“[With] the huge challenge of limited cockpit visibility, the engineering team developed an external vision system, and it's really a great innovation of high-resolution cameras feeding information to an ultra-high-resolution display,” said Melroy.

The X-59 is also designed with the engines mounted on top and a smooth underside to prevent shock waves from forming behind the aircraft and causing sonic booms.

The X-59 is expected to make its first test flight this year before moving on to supersonic, quiet flight.

Once the test flights are complete, the X-59 will fly over several US cities and in the process gather public opinion on the aircraft's performance.

For half a century, commercial supersonic flights have been banned over the US mainland because they are too loud. The X-59 is expected to make the dream of supersonic flight a reality.

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