In launch event on Friday, agency shared plans to test over US cities to see if it’s quiet enough by engaging ‘the people below’

Nasa has unveiled a one-of-a-kind quiet supersonic aircraft as part of the US space agency’s mission to make commercial supersonic flight possible.

In a joint ceremony with Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, California, on Friday, Nasa revealed the X-59, an experimental aircraft that is expected to fly at 1.4 times the speed of sound – or 925mph (1,488 km/h).

The aircraft, which stands at 99.7ft (30.4 metres) long and 29.5ft wide, has a thin, tapered nose that comprises nearly a third of the aircraft’s full length – a feature designed to disperse shock waves that would typically surround supersonic aircraft and result in sonic booms.

  • @Aux
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    -510 months ago

    The planet is fine though. It’s not the first extinsion, it’s not the last. All previous ones were caused by some type of living creature as well.

    • @[email protected]
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      fedilink
      310 months ago

      the planet is fine, sure, but do you want to live on the surface of venus? i would personally find that somewhat lethal and prefer being able to breathe the air without immediately dying from carbon monoxide poisoning

      • @Aux
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        -210 months ago

        So that’s what you should talk about - you don’t care about the planet, you care about yourself. I don’t care how would you feel on the surface of the Venus, I want my fast planes!