QueSST
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NASA
NASA’s X-59 Nears First Flight
As we honor the legacy of aviation pioneers this National Aviation Day, NASA’s X-59 is preparing to push the boundaries of what’s possible in air travel. The quiet supersonic aircraft’s historic first flight is on the horizon, with final ground tests about to begin. Following completion of low-speed taxi tests in July 2025 in Palmdale, California, medium- and high-speed taxi tests mark…
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NASA
NASA’s X-59 Makes a Move
NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft completed its first low-speed taxi test at U.S. Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, on July 10, 2025. This marked the first time the one-of-a-kind experimental aircraft has ever moved under its own power. During the test, engineers and flight crews monitored the X-59 as it moved across the runway, working to validate critical systems like steering and braking. The…
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NASA
NASA’s X-59 Quiet Supersonic Aircraft Begins Taxi Tests
NASA/Jacob Shaw NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft has officially begun taxi tests, marking the first time this one-of-a-kind experimental aircraft has moved under its own power. NASA test pilot Nils Larson and the X-59 team, made up of NASA and contractor Lockheed Martin personnel, completed the aircraft’s first low-speed taxi test at U.S. Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale,…
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NASA
NASA F-15s Validate Tools for Quesst Mission
High over the Mojave Desert, two NASA F-15 research jets made a series of flights throughout May to validate tools designed to measure and record the shock waves that will be produced by the agency’s X-59 quiet supersonic experimental aircraft. The F-15s, carrying the recording tools, flew faster than the speed of sound, matching the conditions the X-59 is expected…
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NASA
NASA’s X-59 Completes Electromagnetic Testing
NASA’s quiet supersonic X-59 research aircraft has cleared electromagnetic testing, confirming its systems will work together safely, without interference across a range of scenarios. “Reaching this phase shows that the aircraft integration is advancing,” said Yohan Lin, NASA’s X-59 avionics lead. “It’s exciting to see the progress, knowing we’ve cleared a major hurdle that moves us closer to X-59’s first…
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NASA
High-Speed Market Studies
Owing to NASA’s Quesst mission and Commercial Supersonic Technology project, there is growing industry interest in commercial aircraft that fly faster than the speed of sound. In 2020, NASA funded two independent studies to investigate the economic viability of this potential market for high-speed commercial flight. Since then, NASA has funded additional studies to investigate the technology developments needed for these aircraft, as well…
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NASA
NASA Selects Contractor for Quiet Supersonic Flight Community Testing
NASA has awarded a contract to Harris Miller Miller & Hanson Inc. of Burlington, Massachusetts, to support a national campaign of community overflight tests using the agency’s X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology research aircraft. This cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract has a maximum potential value of approximately $29 million with an eight-year period of performance. Significant subcontractors include: Westat Inc. of Rockville, MarylandBlue…
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NASA
NASA’s Quiet Supersonic Technology Project Passes Major Milestone
NASA has officially committed to a development timeline that will lead to the first flight of its X-59 Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST) aircraft in just three years. This critical milestone comes after a rigorous review, Key Decision Point-C (KDP-C), that confirmed NASA’s continued support of the X-59, in terms of funding, and established an achievable development timeline for NASA’s first piloted, full-size X-plane…
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