Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Researchers from NASA and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) recently tested a scale model of the X-59 experimental aircraft in a supersonic wind tunnel located in Chofu, Japan, to assess the noise audible underneath the aircraft. The model can be seen in the wind tunnel in this image released on July 11, 2025.
The test was an important milestone for NASA’s one-of-a-kind X-59, which is designed to fly faster than the speed of sound without causing a loud sonic boom. When the X-59 flies, sound underneath it – a result of its pressure signature – will be a critical factor for what people hear on the ground.
This marked the third round of wind tunnel tests for the X-59 model, following a previous test at JAXA and at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. The data will help researchers understand the noise level that will be created by the shock waves the X-59 produces at supersonic speeds.
Image credit: JAXA
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
NASA与日本宇宙航空研究开发机构（JAXA）的研究人员近日在日本调布的超音速风洞中，对X-59实验飞机的比例模型进行了测试，以评估飞机下方可听到的噪声。这张于2025年7月11日发布的图片中可以看到该模型正在风洞中接受测试。
此次测试是NASA独一无二的X-59项目中的一个重要里程碑。X-59被设计用于以超音速飞行，同时避免产生巨大的音爆。当X-59飞行时，其压力特征所产生的下方声波将成为地面听到的关键因素。
这次是X-59模型的第三轮风洞测试，之前分别在JAXA以及位于克利夫兰的NASA格伦研究中心进行过测试。这些数据将帮助研究人员理解X-59在超音速飞行时由激波引发的噪声水平。
图片来源: JAXA
