NASA's X-59 Completes 40 Flights in First Year
The experimental aircraft reached Mach 1.53 and more than 56,000 feet during the year after its first flight.
FlyMarshall Newsroom1 min read
Photo: NASA/Jim Ross
NASA’s X-59 completed 40 flights after its first flight on October 28, 2025. During that year, the aircraft reached a maximum reported speed of Mach 1.53 and an altitude of more than 56,000 feet.
Key details
- The X-59’s mission targets quiet supersonic flight at 55,000 feet and Mach 1.4.
- A coming test phase will focus on acoustic validation, including analysis of sounds produced by the aircraft.
The X-59 reached Mach 1.53 during its first year of flight.
Why it matters
The X-59’s flight campaign is testing the aircraft at speeds and altitudes above its stated mission targets. Acoustic validation will help assess the sounds it produces during supersonic flight, a central part of its quiet-flight mission.
What happens next
The acoustic validation phase will continue the X-59’s test campaign and build knowledge about its sound profile in flight. What will the next phase reveal about quiet supersonic flight?
More stories
Menon and Kutryk Begin Spacewalk to Install ISS Solar Array
NASA stacks the Artemis III SLS core stage with its boosters in the VAB
SpaceX Completes Starship Flight 15 Booster and Ship Engine Tests
Virgin Galactic's Apeiron Arrives at Spaceport America
ISRO Plans GSLV-F18 Launch to Deploy NVS-03 Navigation Satellite
