NASA’s X-59 Arrives at New Base of Flight Operations

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft sits inside Hangar 4826 at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Nov. 18, 2025. Following its first flight on Oct. 25, 2025, in support of NASA’s Quesst mission, the aircraft entered scheduled maintenance as part of its transition into flight operations. Quesst aims to demonstrate quiet supersonic flight and reduce the disruptive sonic boom to a quieter sonic thump.

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft sits inside Hangar 4826 at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Nov. 18, 2025. Following its first flight on Oct. 25, 2025, in support of NASA’s Quesst mission, the aircraft entered scheduled maintenance as part of its transition into flight operations. Quesst aims to demonstrate quiet supersonic flight and reduce the disruptive sonic boom to a quieter sonic thump.

Location AFRC
NASAX-59AviationHangerLow Boom Flight DemonstratorLBFDQuesstQuestGround CrewSupersonicMachSonic BoomQuiet Supersonic TechnologyX-planesX-planeAeronauticsLockheed MartinSkunk WorksSpeedAFRCArmstrong Flight Research CenterLangley Research CenterAmes Research CenterGlenn Research CenterSonic ThumpCommercial Supersonic TechnologyAirplanesCaliforniaEdwards Air Force BaseEAFB