X-59 test pilot on NASA’s The Quiet Crew

Quick Watch

NASA published its latest in its series The Quiet Crew, focusing on test pilot Jim “Clue” Less who is a project pilot on the experimental X-59.

The X-59 QuessT is an experimental aircraft under development by NASA and Lockheed Martin.

The aircraft is intended to go supersonic, without the sonic boom — or at least a sonic boom reduced to a minor thump. The idea is to create a standard for an acceptable level of noise from commercial supersonic flight over land. This is a large part of the reason why commercial supersonic flight has lagged; because of the noise.

But first, they have to build an aircraft that can actually go supersonic, quietly.

That’s where the X-59 comes in. If things go according to plan, the aircraft should be about as loud as a car door closing.

Less explains in the video that the X-59 does not even have a forward windscreen and will be flown using television monitors.