EDWARDS, Calif., - NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft successfully completed a critical series of tests in which the airplane was put through its paces for cruising high above the California desert – all without ever leaving the ground, Jim Banke writes for NASA. Continue reading original article.
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
19 May 2025 - “The idea behind these tests is to command the airplane’s subsystems and flight computer to function as if it is flying,” said Yohan Lin, the X-59’s lead avionics engineer at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.
NASA and Lockheed Martin conducted ground-based simulations to ensure the X-59’s hardware and software work safely and reliably together before its first flight. These tests, part of NASA’s Quesst mission to enable commercial supersonic travel over land, allowed engineers to simulate flight conditions and system failures while the aircraft remained grounded. Pilots performed basic maneuvers while the aircraft reacted as if it were airborne, responding to simulated signals like speed or altitude changes. The tests confirmed system performance and highlighted areas for improvement, particularly in the software.
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Jamie Whitney, Senior Editor
Military + Aerospace Electronics
