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NASA’s Quiet Supersonic Jet Just Broke the Sound Barrier. The Video Is Incredible.

The X-59 is designed to turn the usual sonic boom into a softer thump, which could eventually help bring back supersonic flight over land.

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For years now, NASA has been working on the X-59, a supersonic jet that’s also super quiet, reaching ludicrous speeds without sounding like it’s tearing a hole in the sky. According to NASA, that effort hit a major milestone on June 5 when the experimental aircraft broke the sound barrier for the first time.

The X-59 took off from Edwards Air Force Base in California and spent 81 minutes in the air. Piloted by NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less — a man with a nickname so good he had to search the skies at supersonic speeds to........

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