NASA's experimental X-59 aircraft has marked a major milestone by flying faster than the speed of sound for the first time, setting the stage for demonstrating its quiet supersonic capabilities later this year.
NASA test pilot Jim "Clue" Less took off and landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California last Friday, reaching a top speed of approximately Mach 1.1 (713 mph) and altitude of 43,400 feet. The X-59's flight lasted 81 minutes, with the team focusing on flying qualities at both subsonic and then supersonic speeds.
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by Joji Xavier
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