NASA

X-59 quiet supersonic jet uses max afterburner for first time

NASA has successfully completed the first maximum afterburner engine run test on its X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft. This significant milestone was achieved at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California, as the X-59 team progresses toward its first flight.

An afterburner, a component of some jet engines, generates additional thrust. Running the F414-GE-100 engine with afterburner will enable the X-59 to meet its supersonic speed requirements. The test demonstrated the engine’s ability to operate within temperature limits and maintain adequate airflow for flight. It also confirmed the engine’s capability to function in sync with the aircraft’s other subsystems.

The X-59 is the centrepiece of NASA’s Quesst mission, which aims to overcome one of the major barriers to supersonic flight over land by making sonic booms quieter. The X-59’s first flight is expected to occur in 2025.

NASA is collaborating with its partners to pave the way for new high-speed air travel options, starting with commercial supersonic flight over land through the Quesst mission and the experimental X-59 aircraft. Quesst will lead a government-industry team to collect data that could make commercial supersonic flight over land possible, significantly reducing air travel time in the United States and globally.

The X-59 will produce a quieter ‘thump’ rather than a loud boom while flying faster than the speed of sound. This data will help regulators understand public perception of these thumps, potentially lifting current bans on commercial supersonic flight over land.

The modified F414-GE-100 engine, which delivers 22,000 pounds of thrust, will enable the X-59 to achieve a cruising speed of Mach 1.4 at an altitude of approximately 55,000 feet. The engine is positioned atop the aircraft to help reduce noise.

Engine runs are part of a series of integrated ground tests essential for ensuring safe flight and achieving mission goals. The team will continue to progress through critical ground tests and address any technical issues with this one-of-a-kind experimental aircraft. A more specific first flight date will be determined as these tests are successfully completed.

Testing at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility will continue with high-power tests and rapid throttle changes, simulating actual flight conditions. Following the engine runs, the X-59 team will conduct aluminium bird testing, feeding data to the aircraft under both normal and failure conditions. This will be followed by a series of taxi tests, where the aircraft will be moved on the ground, leading up to final preparations for the first flight.

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