NASA Gets Closer to Conduct First Flight Test of Its ‘Quiet’ Supersonic Jet

NASA conducted wind tunnel tests on a scaled-down model of its “quiet” supersonic jet in a bid to one day make supersonic flights flying over communities a reality. Currently, supersonic flights over communities are prohibited as the loud sonic boom could be disruptive. Sonic booms produce a lot of sound energy, around 110 decibels. NASA is trying to validate its boom-reducing technology and boom-predicting capabilities to make supersonic flights quieter and allow future travelers reach their destinations faster. This test, conducted inside an 8ft by 6ft “supersonic wind tunnel” was only the first of the scaled-down model and more detailed tests will take place later this year.

In an Instagram update, the agency shared two images of the scaled-down X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology (QueSST) experimental aircraft.

“Quiet supersonic flight? We're working on it,” said the agency. The full-scale aircraft, called the “son of Concorde”, is being constructed by NASA and Lockheed Martin. NASA is gearing up for the inaugural test flight of the full-scale X-59 this year.

NASA said the first image showed the aircraft model, measuring about a foot and a half in length, during a sonic boom test inside a wind tunnel at the Glenn Research Centre in Ohio. It was captured by a photographic process called “schlieren", which shows the flow of air around a scale aircraft model, as well as the shock waves and their positions.

John Wolter, lead researcher on the X-59 sonic boom wind tunnel test, said that with the X-59, they wanted to show that they could turn those unpleasant sonic booms into what he referred to as “sonic thumps”, which are substantially quieter. Wolter added the test demonstrated that they not only had quieter aircraft designs, but also the correct technologies needed to estimate future aircraft noise.

Researchers in aeronautics are attempting to mitigate the effects of a sonic boom by substituting it with a gentle “thump”. In March, the aircraft will travel to Japan for further testing with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Boeing.