NASA's X-59 Aircraft Flies Supersonic for First Time

NASA’s experimental X-59 aircraft achieved supersonic flight for the first time on June 5, 2026, with test pilot Jim “Clue” Less reaching Mach 1.1 (713 mph) at 43,400 feet during an 81-minute flight from Edwards Air Force Base. The milestone advances NASA’s Quesst mission, which aims to demonstrate quiet supersonic technology, with plans to push to Mach 1.4 in subsequent flights. The X-59 is designed to produce only a quiet thump rather than a loud sonic boom, supporting potential regulatory approval for commercial supersonic flight over land.