NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft took off for its historic first flight on Oct. 28, 2025, at 11:14 a.m. EDT from Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, California. The one-of-a-kind aircraft flew for 67 minutes before landing and taxiing to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.
NASA test pilot Nils Larson flew the X-59 up to an altitude of about 12,000 feet and an approximate top speed of 230 mph, precisely as planned. The plane’s landing gear remained down during the entire flight, a common practice for experimental aircraft flying for the first time.
Now that the X-59’s first flight is in the books, the team is focused on preparing for a series of test flights where the aircraft will operate at higher altitudes and supersonic speeds. This test flight phase of NASA’s Quesst mission will ensure the X-59 meets performance and safety expectations.
Through the Quesst mission, NASA aims to usher in a new age of quiet supersonic flight, achieved through the unique design and technology of the X-59 in future supersonic transport aircraft.
Image Credit: NASA/Lori Losey
NASA的X-59静音超音速研究飞机于2025年10月28日美国东部时间上午11时14分，在加州帕姆代尔洛克希德·马丁臭鼬工厂成功完成历史性的首次飞行。这架独一无二的实验机飞行了67分钟后，在加州爱德华兹的NASA阿姆斯特朗飞行研究中心顺利着陆并滑行入库。
NASA试飞员尼尔斯·拉尔森（Nils Larson）按计划驾驶X-59升至约12000英尺高度，最高速度约230英里/小时。首飞期间，飞机的起落架始终保持放下状态——这是实验性飞机首次飞行时的常规操作。
随着X-59首飞顺利完成，团队将着手准备下一阶段的一系列试飞，届时飞机将在更高高度、以超音速飞行进行测试。Quesst任务的这一验证阶段将确保X-59达到性能与安全预期。
通过Quesst任务，NASA希望凭借X-59的独特设计与技术，推动未来超音速运输机进入静音超音速飞行的新时代。
图片来源：NASA/Lori Losey
