A new supersonic aircraft, nicknamed the ‘son of Concorde’, is in development and has the potential to drastically reduce flight times between New York and London to less than four hours. The X-59 is currently in the taxi testing phase, which involves ground maneuvers at various speeds to assess its handling, performance, and systems before its first flight.

For years, manufacturers have been working on creating a successor to the Anglo-French supersonic passenger aircraft, Concorde, which flew from 1976 until its grounding in 2003. This decision came after a fatal crash in 2000, which killed all 109 people on board and marked the end of the Concorde era.

The X-59 is NASA’s answer to the race for a supersonic successor. The aircraft, developed in partnership with contractor Lockheed Martin, recently completed its first low-speed taxi test at U. S. Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California. Over the next few weeks, the X-59 will gradually increase its speed, leading up to a high-speed taxi test just short of takeoff.

During the low-speed tests, engineers and flight crews closely monitored the X-59’s handling, steering, and braking, ensuring its stability and control in different conditions. These tests are crucial in building confidence in the aircraft’s performance before its first flight.

The X-59 is the focus of NASA’s Quesst mission, which aims to demonstrate quiet supersonic flight by reducing the loud sonic boom to a quieter “thump. ” With a projected speed of Mach 1. 5, or approximately 990 mph, the X-59 could potentially fly nonstop from London to New York in just 3 hours and 44 minutes, compared to the usual 7-8 hour flight time.

In 2023, NASA plans to investigate the feasibility of supersonic passenger air travel on aircraft capable of traveling at speeds between Mach 2 and Mach 4 (1,535-3,045 mph). The data collected from the X-59 will be used to inform regulators in the U. S. and around the world to establish new, data-driven noise standards for supersonic commercial flights over land.

Concorde’s last commercial flight took place on October 24, 2003, between New York and London. The aircraft was grounded after the Air France Flight 4590 disaster on July 25, 2000, which was the only fatal incident involving Concorde. According to British Airways, a typical London to New York crossing would take less than three and a half hours on Concorde, compared to eight hours on a subsonic flight.

Concorde measured 204 feet in length and could stretch up to 10 inches in flight due to the heating of its airframe. It was painted with a specially developed white paint to accommodate these changes and dissipate the heat generated by supersonic flight.