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NASA reveals secret supersonic airplane that quiets the sonic boom to a thump [1]
['David Pescovitz']
Date: 2024-01-16
One reason that the storied Concorde supersonic jet was finally grounded is because of the sonic boom it generated as it flew fast enough to break the sound barrier. For decades, aerospace engineers have attempted to design supersonic jets that could achieve incredible speeds without rattling windows and angering residents of inhabited areas below the planes' flight paths. Now, NASA and Lockheed Martin have revealed the X-59 experimental aircraft, a supersonic plane that delivers a sonic "thump" rather than the boom. The X-59's first flight is expected later in the year. Capable of reaching 925 miles per hour, the plane could fly from Los Angeles to New York City in less than three hours.
"NASA's X-59 will help change the way we travel, bringing us closer together in much less time," said NASA deputy administrator Pam Melroy.
The X-59's weird proportions are the key to its (relatively) quiet operation.
"It's almost 100 feet long (30.5 meters), but has a wingspan of only about 29 feet," said NASA senior adviser Craig Nickol. "The nose is a distinguishing feature on this aircraft: it's about a third of the length."
"This aircraft may sound like distant thunder on the horizon, or like someone shutting a car door around the corner," he added.
From CNN:
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