Lockheed Martin X-59 Quesst

Lockheed Martin X-59 Quesst (Quiet SuperSonic Technology) is an experimental Low-Boom Flight Demonstrator project developed by Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facilities under NASA’s program. The aircraft’s purpose is to test whether commercial supersonic flights over land can be made viable again by significantly reducing the sonic boom generated when exceeding the speed of sound.

The program’s long-term goal is to provide scientific data to support the lifting of the United States’ ban on supersonic flight over land, which has been in effect since 1973. NASA plans community-based test flights over ten selected U.S. cities between 2026 and 2028. These data are expected to contribute to the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) revision of noise standards.

Development Process

X-59 is considered a continuation of Bell X-1 (1947) and Concorde (1969) in the history of supersonic research, but it is the first aircraft designed specifically to produce a “quiet sonic boom.” The project has been described as a forerunner to the 21st century’s “civil supersonic renaissance.”

In February 2016, NASA awarded Lockheed Martin its first contract for the preliminary design of the X-59. Wind tunnel tests in 2017 at NASA Langley using 9% and 8% scale models evaluated aerodynamic stability, control surfaces, and low-noise performance. On 2 April 2018, NASA awarded Lockheed Martin a primary contract worth $247.5 million covering the design, production, and delivery of the aircraft. Later that year, the U.S. Air Force designated the aircraft “X-59 QueSST.”

By 2020, half of the airframe assembly was complete. The aircraft received its registration General Electric F414-GE-100 engine in 2022. The engine is 4 meters long and produces 98 kN (approximately 22,000 lbf) of thrust. In 2024, the aircraft was completed at Skunk Works facilities in Palmdale, California, and conducted its first test flight on 28 October 2025 under the supervision of NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center.

Design and Technical Specifications

The X-59 is designed with a long, slender fuselage (length 30.4 m, wingspan 9 m) to prevent the formation of a strong sonic boom and thereby reduce the perceived sound level on the ground. The aircraft is intended to cruise at Mach 1.42 (1,510 km/h) at an altitude of 55,000 ft (16,800 m) with a maximum takeoff weight of 14,700 kg.

The cockpit is equipped with seats and a canopy borrowed from the Northrop T-38. The landing gear is derived from the F-16. Due to its long nose, the pilot has no direct forward view. Instead, an External Vision System (XVS) and an Enhanced Vision System (EVS), developed by Collins Aerospace, are used. 4K-resolution cameras and infrared sensors digitally provide the pilot with visibility during landing and cruise phases.

The fuselage, wing roots, and engine air intake were aerodynamically optimized using a technique called “boom shaping.” This design ensures that supersonic shock waves disperse before merging, thereby softening the pressure change detected on the ground. NASA refers to this effect as “Mach cut-off shaping.”

NASA’s target is for the aircraft to produce only a 75 EPNdB “thump” on the ground—roughly equivalent to the sound of a door slamming.^【1】 For comparison, the Concorde’s average noise level was 105–110 EPNdB.

NASA-Published Technical Details of the X-59 (NASA)

Program Objective and Application

Under NASA’s “Quesst” program, the X-59 will conduct test flights over various U.S. cities to evaluate public acceptance of quiet supersonic technologies. Community feedback is expected to inform the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and provide the basis for reviewing the ban on supersonic flight over land by 2028.