With a nose of 10 m and a speed of 1,510 km/h, it is NASA's new jewel: a "silent" supersonic prototype aircraft. "As we unveil this technological marvel, it's really important to understand the profound impact of the X-59 on the aviation industry," said Pam Elroy, NASA's deputy administrator.
The X-59 may indeed revolutionize commercial flight. Until now, supersonic aircraft have been very noisy, especially when they break the sound barrier. And it is because of this noise pollution that the United States banned supersonic flights over its territory for non-military aircraft in 1973.
With the X-59, NASA promises to reduce the noise of the supersonic aircraft, which therefore potentially opens the door to commercial flights. For now, NASA has announced that the first flight tests will arrive soon, without giving a specific date.