Aircraft
NASA To Roll Out X-59 Supersonic Demonstrator in January
Rollout of the X-59 Quesst is scheduled for January 12
NASA X-59 Quesst supersonic demonstrator on flight line (Photo: Lockheed Martin)
Despite the delay of the first flight to 2024, NASA's X-59 March 1.4 demonstrator has checked off several milestones. © Lockheed Martin

NASA plans to unveil its X-59 quiet supersonic technology (Quesst) demonstrator aircraft on January 12 during a public ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California.

Lockheed Martin has been developing the X-59 alongside NASA since 2016, and the first flight of the supersonic aircraft had been anticipated to take place this year. However, in October, agency officials delayed the inaugural flight to 2024, citing “several technical challenges identified over the course of 2023,” including “intermittent issues with some of the safety-redundant computers.” A firm date for the first flight will be scheduled following a pending flight readiness review. 

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