‘Son of Concorde’ jet that could fly from UK to NYC in 4hrs hits milestone with supersonic flight without sonic boom

NASA experimental X-59 'Son of Concorde' jet, built with Lockheed Martin, has successfully achieved supersonic flight without producing its usual disruptive sonic boom, marking a significant leap toward reviving ultra-fast passenger air travel over land. The aircraft first broke the sound barrier on June 5, 2026, reaching Mach 1.1 at an altitude of 43,400 feet, and just a week later, on June 12, it hit its target mission speed of Mach 1.4 at 55,000 feet, proving its ability to fly at the conditions required for future public demonstrations. This milestone is central to NASA Quiet SuperSonic Technology (QueSST) mission, aiming to transform the ear-splitting 'boom' into a quiet 'thump' that could revolutionize aviation. This breakthrough directly challenges the decades-old ban on supersonic flight over land, a regulation put in place back in 1973 due to the loud and disruptive sonic boom generated by aircraft like the iconic Concorde. For years, the absence of commercially viable quiet supersonic jets has limited high-speed air travel primarily to transoceanic routes. The X-59's unique, long-nosed design is key to spreading out the shockwaves that cause the boom, making the sound barely noticeable on the ground. NASA ongoing tests, which include 16 flights in the last 90 days since its first flight in October 2025, are designed to gather crucial data on public perception, which will then be shared with international regulators to help establish new, data-driven noise standards. The X-59 still has several months of performance testing ahead before it moves into the critical acoustic validation phase, where its quiet sonic signature will be measured more precisely. Following this, NASA plans to conduct community overflights across various U.S. locations to collect real-world feedback on how people perceive the 'sonic thump.' If this data proves that quieter supersonic flight is acceptable to the public, it could pave the way for a new era of commercial supersonic transport, potentially shortening flight times significantly and opening up a new global market for aircraft manufacturers.