The first flight of NASA’s X-59 supersonic demonstrator aircraft is imminent as the inaugural taxi tests get under way in Palmdale, California. The needle-nosed jet moved under its own power for the first time on July 10 and has begun progressively faster trips down the expansive runways of the birthplace of some of the most iconic aircraft. “During the low-speed tests, engineers and flight crews monitored how the X-59 handled as it moved across the runway, working to validate critical systems like steering and braking,” NASA said in a news release. “These checks help ensure the aircraft’s stability and control across a range of conditions, giving pilots and engineers confidence that all systems are functioning as expected.”
The taxi tests will continue until the plane is almost at flying speed and it will take off shortly after that. The plane is intended to figure out how to turn a sonic boom into a more acceptable “thump” and inform regulators on establishing new rules for supersonic operations over land. Last month President Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring the FAA to come up with new supersonic rules in the next 20 months.
0 replies