Aeronautical officials unveiled a new silent supersonic plane capable of flying faster than the speed of sound and going from New York to London in three and a half hours.
The 100-foot-long by 30-foot-wide X-59 supersonic plane, dubbed the “son of Concorde,” was launched by NASA and Lockheed Martin on Friday, an innovation official said they expect to revolutionize commercial air travel.
Concorde aircraft, which can travel about 1,350 miles per hour, were retired about 20 years ago after their launch in 1976, plagued by expensive maintenance and a fatal accident in 2000.
Its new offspring can travel 925 miles per hour while generating less disruptive sonic booms to communities below due to innovations in design, construction and technology, officials said.
Over the past half century, the US and other countries have banned supersonic flights because of the shocking booms created when aircraft exceed the speed of sound, which is 767 miles per hour, NASA said in a press release.
The plane’s thin, tapered nose is expected to break up shockwaves that would cause sonic booms on conventional aircraft, and its cockpit sits about halfway down the plane’s length, meaning pilots have to rely on camera monitors to operate it.
The experimental supersonic jet, which can travel to Europe in about 3.5 hours, was unveiled during a ceremony in Palmdale, California, Friday. AFP via Getty Images The Concorde prototype flies for the first time, at Toulouse Airport in France, March 1969. Getty Images
The X-59 is part of NASA’s Quest mission, which aims to “provide data to help regulators reconsider” the ban.
“This is a major achievement made possible only through the hard work and ingenuity of NASA and the entire X-59 team,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy.
“In a few short years we have gone from an ambitious concept to reality. NASA’s X-59 will help change the way we travel, bringing us closer together in less time.”
The plane’s thin, tapered nose is expected to break up the shock waves that would cause a sonic boom. AFP via Getty Images The original Concorde was plagued by expensive maintenance. RELATED NEWSPAPERS
The Quesst team is now moving to prepare for the aircraft’s first flight, scheduled for later this year, with integrated system testing, engine operation and taxi testing.
After the maiden voyage, the X-59 will begin its first “silent supersonic flight,” officials said.
“It’s thrilling to consider the level of ambition behind Quesst and its potential benefits,” said Bob Pearce, associate administrator for aeronautics research at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
NASA test pilots Nils Larson (left), James Less (right), and Lockheed Martin test pilot Dan “Dog” Canin (center) pose with a freshly painted X-59 at the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale last month. NASA/Steve Freeman/SWNS
“NASA will share the data and technology we generate from this unique mission with regulators and with industry. By demonstrating the possibility of quiet commercial supersonic travel across land, we seek to open new commercial markets for US companies and benefit travelers around the world.”
NASA cautions that the X-59 is a “unique experimental aircraft,” not a prototype that will be replicated for commercial endeavors.
The cost of the project is $632 million over eight years, according to Bloomberg.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
