NASA conducted the first test flight of the X-59, an experimental aircraft designed to exceed the sound barrier while making less noise, paving the way for faster commercial flights.

X-59, an experimental aircraft developed by NASA in collaboration with Lockheed Martin, successfully completed its first test flight over the desert in Southern California. Designed to exceed the sound barrier with reduced noise, the X-59 took off from Plant 42 in Palmdale and safely landed at Edwards Air Force Base. The aircraft has a unique shape, intended to reduce the explosive sonic boom, transforming it into a less disturbing sound.

Development costs have exceeded 518 million dollars. The aircraft flew at subsonic speeds, reaching 370 km/h. The X-59 is capable of flying at 1,490 km/h and at an altitude of 16,764 meters, having the potential to revolutionize commercial flights.