Science May 28, 2026 · 1 min read

Going Low and Slow in Testing

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft flies above NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on April 28, 2026, during testing focused on lower-speed and altitude flight conditions in support of NASA’s Quesst mission. The X-59 has completed initial test flights at high...

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NASA Breaking News
by HQ Web Team
Going Low and Slow in Testing
NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft flies above NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The plane has a distinctive shape, with a very long, sharp nose.
NASA/Jim Ross

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft flies above NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on April 28, 2026, during testing focused on lower-speed and altitude flight conditions in support of NASA’s Quesst mission.

The X-59 has completed initial test flights at high altitudes and near-supersonic speeds, opening the door for additional flights focused on its full operating range. These more recent, lower-altitude flights at lesser speeds are helping to confirm the X-plane’s performance across a wide range of conditions, including flying with the landing gear both retracted and extended.

Read more about this series of test flights.

Image credit: NASA/Jim Ross

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This article was originally published by NASA Breaking News and written by HQ Web Team.

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