The X-59 ‘Quesst’ Plane Just Took Its Second Flight

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Though the X-59 was designed to negate the “sonic boom” typically found on supersonic aircraft, it has stayed well short of supersonic speeds—at least for now.

NASA’s X-59 experimental aircraft, part of the “Quesst” (Quiet Supersonic Technology) mission, conducted its second flight on the morning of Friday, March 20. The flight was scheduled to spend roughly one hour in the air, but was abruptly canceled after a cockpit warning. It returned to the ground at 11:03 a.m. PST, roughly 10 minutes after takeoff.

In spite of the flight’s short duration, NASA engineers praised it, claiming that they had been able to collect valuable data that would help in subsequent flights.

“Despite the early landing, this is a good day for the team,” said Cathy Bahm, the NASA Low-Boom Flight Demonstrator’s project manager, according to a NASA news release. “We collected more data, and the pilot landed safely. We’re looking forward to getting back to flight as soon as possible.”

The X-59 aircraft, designed to test supersonic flight without a sonic boom, is intended to pioneer an aviation breakthrough that would lift sound-related restrictions on supersonic travel.

The abortive flight took place near Edwards Air Force Base in California, with NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less at........

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