NASA begins construction work on a new supersonic jet

Formerly known as "Low Level Flight Demonstrator", the project was renamed X-59 QueSST.

Formerly known as "Low Level Flight Demonstrator", the project was renamed X-59 QueSST.

NASA's mission to revolutionize air travel has taken a significant step forward as the space agency begins building its X-59 QueSST supersonic aircraft.

Some nickname the plane X-59 "Son of Concorde" and the manufacturer, on behalf of NASA, the security company and aerospace Lockheed Martin.

"The start of the project's manufacturing marks a big step forward for the X-59 and the future of silent supersonic commercial travel," said Peter Iosifidis, head of the Low Boom flight demonstrator program, in a statement. .

NASA awarded Lockheed Martin a $ 247.5 million contract for the construction of this much anticipated aircraft.

Barely audible

NASA plans to publicly test its technology in Texas in November 2018 to make sure that its prototype will be barely audible when it crosses the sound barrier.

Creating a supersonic aircraft that would not produce sonic booms would change the game for aviation. Prior to decommissioning, Concorde speed was limited on some land routes due to disturbing sound waves.

If the NASA experimental project works, it should help make supersonic flying more economical.

During the test period, NASA will use supersonic F / A-18 Hornet jets over Galveston, Texas, to mimic the sound profile of the X-59, while a group approximately 500 residents will document noise levels, if any.

By performing dives at the speed of sound, the jets will produce two types of sonic boom to truly determine the sound they produce on the ground.

According to NASA, Galveston has been chosen as a test area because it is located near the Gulf of Mexico, allowing fighter jets to maintain stronger sonic booms, while quieter calming "shots" in the city. .

Noise reduction capacity

The secret of the aircraft's ability to reduce noise is its unique shape structure, designed so that supersonic shockwaves do not develop into powerful sonic boom.

"With the X-59, you will still have several shockwaves because of the aircraft's wings that create lift and volume of the aircraft," says Ed Haering, aerospace engineer at the center of NASA aeronautical research Armstrong. "But the shape of the plane is carefully designed so that these shock waves do not combine.

"Instead of getting a boom-boom, you'll get at least two deaf-and-deaf sounds, if you hear them at all.

"That's why the F / A-18 is such an important tool for us. As the construction of the X-59 continues, we can use this dive maneuver to generate quiet sound noises on a specific area. "

Successor of the Concorde?

The X-59 is designed to roll at 55,000 feet at a speed of about 940 mph. Its delivery is scheduled for the end of 2021. Once the aircraft has finally been built and its noise information has been established, NASA has announced that it will be conducting flights in the near future. test over other cities in the United States and that it would collect ground information.

"As we enter the manufacturing phase, the structure of the aircraft is beginning to take shape, bringing us even closer to the possibility of allowing passengers from around the world to travel in a supersonic way," he said. Iosifidis.

The noise problem is weighing on aeronautical innovators seeking to create a follow-up of the Anglo-French Concorde project since the decommissioning of the aircraft in 2003.

Several attempts to revive supersonic air transport are under way.

Japan Airlines has invested $ 10 million in Boom Technologies, a new Denver-based company that also hopes to revive supersonic air travel over the next decade.

Spike Aerospace hopes to test its supersonic aircraft S-512 by the end of 2018.