NASA chase pilot Jim “Clue” Less congratulates Nils Larson after completing the X-59’s first flight on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. The milestone marks a major step toward demonstrating quiet supersonic technology that could enable future air travel over land without the disruptive noise of traditional sonic booms.
NASAX-59First FlightEgressAviationHistoryLow Boom Flight DemonstratorQuesstQuestCrew ChiefGround CrewSupersonicMachSonic BoomQuiet Supersonic TechnologyX-planesX-planeFlightAeronauticsTest PilotLockheed MartinSkunk WorksSpeedAFRCArmstrong Flight Research CenterLangley Research CenterAmes Research CenterGlenn Research CenterSonic ThumpCommercial Supersonic TechnologyAirplanesPalmdaleCaliforniaLBFDEdwards Air Force BaseEAFB