NASA X-59 Test Pilot Completes Successful Flight

NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less is seen after completing his first flight of the X-59 and the aircraft’s second flight overall at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The flight supports NASA’s Quesst mission to demonstrate supersonic flight that produces a quieter sonic “thump” instead of a loud sonic boom.

NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less is seen after completing his first flight of the X-59 and the aircraft’s second flight overall at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The flight supports NASA’s Quesst mission to demonstrate supersonic flight that produces a quieter sonic “thump” instead of a loud sonic boom.

Photographer NASA/Ryan Kline
Location AFRC
NASAX-59AviationLow Boom Flight DemonstratorQuesstQuestSubsonicMachSonic BoomQuiet Supersonic TechnologyX-planesX-planeAeronauticsTest PilotLockheed MartinSkunk WorksSpeedAFRCArmstrong Flight Research CenterLangley Research CenterAmes Research CenterGlenn Research CenterSonic ThumpCivil Supersonic Overland Flight TechnologiesAirplanesMojave DesertCaliforniaLBFD