Nasa shows off brand new supersonic aircraft that can fly London to New York in 3.5 hours
A supersonic aircraft which is capable of flying from London to New York in just 3 and a half hours has been unveiled by Nasa
Reuters
A supersonic aircraft which is capable of flying from London to New York in just three and a half hours has been unveiled by Nasa.
The X-59 jet project shows how Nasa can fly supersonic without making loud sonic booms.
It was revealed at a ceremony from Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California, last week.
The aircraft - measuring 100 feet long and 30 feet wide - aims to provide data to regulators and convince them to scale back restrictions on commercial supersonic flights.
The X-59 jet project shows how Nasa can fly supersonic without making loud sonic booms
Reuters
Nasa Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy said: "This is a major accomplishment made possible only through the hard work and ingenuity from Nasa and the entire X-59 team.
"In just a few short years we’ve gone from an ambitious concept to reality. Nasa’s X-59 will help change the way we travel, bringing us closer together in much less time."
Many countries banned supersonic flights due to the sudden sound they create.
However, the new developed supersonic jet is expected to make a quieter sonic thump while traveling at 925 miles per hour, or 1.4 times the speed of sound.
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Bob Pearce, an associate administrator for aeronautics research at Nasa’s headquarters said: "By demonstrating the possibility of quiet commercial supersonic travel over land, we seek to open new commercial markets for US companies and benefit travellers around the world."
The X-59 has been nicknamed the "son of Concorde."
In 1976, the Concorde was launched and flew up to 1,350 mph.
However, the aircraft retired after a fatal crash in 2000.
The aircraft aims to provide data to regulators and convince them to scale back restrictions on commercial supersonic flights
Reuters
The X-59 can travel at almost twice the speed of the Concorde.
It is not the only supersonic jet which is being developed.
In 2021, Boom Supersonic announced that United Airlines planned to obtain 15 Overture passenger jets by 2029 which could also fly from London to New York in 3 1/2 hours.