NASA’s X-59 Displays Mach Diamonds at Maximum Afterburner

NASA’s X-59 lights up the night sky with its unique Mach diamonds, also known as shock diamonds, during maximum afterburner testing at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, California. The test demonstrates the engine’s ability to generate the thrust required for supersonic flight, advancing NASA’s Quesst mission.

NASA’s X-59 lights up the night sky with its unique Mach diamonds, also known as shock diamonds, during maximum afterburner testing at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, California. The test demonstrates the engine’s ability to generate the thrust required for supersonic flight, advancing NASA’s Quesst mission.

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NASAX-59AfterburnerAfterburnLow Boom Flight DemonstratorQuesstSupersonicMachSonic BoomQuiet Supersonic TechnologyX-planesFlightAeronauticsLockheed MartinSpeedAFRCArmstrong Flight Research CenterLangley Research CenterAmes Research CenterGlenn Research CenterSonic ThumpCommercial Supersonic TechnologyTechnologyAirplanesEngineGeneral Electric AviationF414F A-18Super Hornet