Sonic Thump Not Sonic Boom: NASA’s X-59 Quiet Supersonic Aircraft Rolls Out

Scitech Daily ^ | JULY 10, 2023 | By SASHA ELLIS AND AMIEE LOMAX, NASA

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Yeah, stupid me to write that. The huge benefit will be carrying John Kerry to climate conferences on the other side of the globe in half the time. Ten times every year.

[Yardstick]

That thing’s gonna poke somebody’s eye out if they’re not careful.

[doorgunner69]

Forward viz looks a bit restricted.

[doorgunner69]

I fly Hawaii to Arizona and back several times a year, and the flights in coach sucks.

But I cannot justify paying for 1st class, and likely not for any upcoming SST either.

So I writhe for 6+ hours

[PAR35]

Canard, wing, and two sets of stabilizers on the tail. And a fuselage design that looks like it’s modified from a Constellation.

[Col Freeper]

Hmm ..... maybe not a good idea to name the aircraft hanger “Stall”? 8-)

[NorthMountain]

So I writhe for 6+ hours

Australia ... several times.

The discomfort varies greatly with the aircraft type. I really don't fit well in 787 seats. A380 was much less uncomfortable. 777 is not bad, either.

[SuperLuminal]

Will be more interested when they show the potential armaments it can carry next to it...

[Red Badger]

Because they can.......................

[Sirius Lee]

Looks like a forgotten Century Series concept.

[Red Badger]

[Red Badger]

If you can fly at 3000+ mph, then you need only ONE....................

[ExSES]

Interesting return to the past... I have fond memories of several times having ATC tell me “You are number two for 36 Left following the Concord. Avoid wake turbulence! A memorable sight to this date!

[SuperLuminal]

"If you can fly at 3000+ mph, then you need only ONE"

Hmmm...
Does that mean that you take off somewhere in the central U.S, get up to speed before you hit the west coast, and drop the bomb as soon as you reach Hawaii?

Do Newton's laws still hold or will we be referencing Minkowski diagrams to make the determination?
Snicker...

[devane617]

cool

[RayChuang88]

This research could result in airplanes that could fly at Mach 1.6 with a range of around 6,000 nautical miles with very little sonic boom and engines that will meet ICAO Stage IV noise standards.

Why Mach 1.6 limit? I cite the following:

1. It means less thermal heating of the structure of the plane, so more composite materials can be used to keep the weight lower.
2. A Mach 1.6 limit means any sonic boom with such an advanced design will be very low indeed.
3. The plane don't need to run the engine with fuel-consuming reheat (neé afterburner) mode or very little use, which means higher fuel efficiency at supersonic speeds.

Both FlexJet and NetJets are very likely interested in such a plane. Both could order 40 planes for fractional ownership operations.