NASAs $247M Son of Concorde high-speed jet just broke the sound barrier

Traveling at the speed of sound may actually be on the horizon.NASA’s supersonic aircraft, dubbed “son of Concorde” after its predecessor, successfully broke the sound barrier for the first time.The experimental X-59 aircraft completed an 81-minute test flight on Friday, 5 June, reaching a speed of nearly 713mph while flying at an altitude of 43,400ft, according to the space agency.The jet completed an 81-minute test flight earlier this month over California’s Edwards Air Force Base, reaching Mach 1.1 — nearly 713 mph — at an altitude of 43,400 feet.The successful flight brings NASA one step closer to making faster-than-sound passenger travel a reality once again, potentially slashing flight times between cities like New York and London to under four hours.

But unlike its famous predecessor, the X-59 isn’t just designed for speed; it’s also designed for stealth.For decades, one of the biggest obstacles facing supersonic travel has been the thunderous sonic boom produced when an aircraft breaks the sound barrier.The explosive noise can top 110 decibels, rattle homes and even crack windows, prompting US regulators to ban civilian supersonic flights over land in 1973.NASA hopes the X-59 can change that.The aircraft’s unusually long nose and carefully sculpted body are designed to spread out the shock waves generated during supersonic flight, transforming the traditional sonic boom into little more than a soft “thump” heard from the ground.The futuristic design comes with one unusual drawback: there are no forward-facing cockpit windows.

Instead, the pilot relies on a network of high-definition cameras and augmented reality displays known as the eXternal Vision System to see ahead.“You know you are supersonic when gauges say you are supersonic.I didn’t feel anything,” said test pilot Jim ‘Clue’ LessLess.

‘It went smoothly, and we easily got to Mach 1.1.’The “Son of Concorde” is an aircraft with an unusually long nose and a scul...