July 18, 2025 – Aviation News — NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft has begun taxi tests, marking its first movement under its own power. The low-speed taxi trial took place on July 10 at U.S. Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, with NASA test pilot Nils Larson at the controls and support from Lockheed Martin engineers.
These tests represent the final ground evaluations before the aircraft’s first flight. Over the next few weeks, the X-59 will perform progressively faster taxi tests, eventually approaching takeoff speeds.
During the initial run, teams monitored key systems—steering, braking, and handling—to confirm stability and readiness across various conditions.
The X-59 is part of NASA’s Quesst mission, which seeks to demonstrate quiet supersonic flight by minimizing the traditional sonic boom to a soft “thump.” The project aims to help shape future regulations for overland supersonic commercial travel.
Researchers from NASA and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) recently tested a scale model of the X-59 experimental aircraft in a supersonic wind tunnel located in Chofu, Japan, to assess the noise audible underneath the aircraft.
Photo NASA
