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Amy Wilder

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft completed its first taxi test on July 10, the initial movement of the experimental jet under its own power. The test took place at U.S. Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, and signals the start of the final phase of ground testing before first flight.
Conducted by NASA and Lockheed Martin personnel, the <a href="https://youtu.be/L5yr94yGZKk?si=64Zmh3hZbOPxawZs">low-speed taxi test</a> was led by NASA test pilot Nils Larson. The team monitored the X-59’s steering, braking, and stability as it moved across the runway to validate system performance and ground-handling behavior. Over the coming weeks, the aircraft will continue taxi testing at gradually increasing speeds, culminating in a high-speed run that will take the X-59 to the verge of liftoff.
The aircraft is the centerpiece of NASA’s <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/mission/quesst/">Quesst</a> mission, which aims to demonstrate quiet supersonic flight by replacing the traditional sonic boom with a significantly quieter “thump.” Data collected during the flight campaign will be used to help establish noise thresholds for future supersonic operations over land.
NASA intends to share its findings with U.S. and international regulators to support rulemaking based on real-world supersonic noise performance. The X-59 is designed to fly at Mach 1.4 at 55,000 feet while producing no more than 75 perceived decibels on the ground.

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