On December 12, NASA achieved a significant milestone in the development of its X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft with the successful completion of its first maximum afterburner engine test. The test, conducted at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California, marks a crucial step as the team prepares the X-59 for its inaugural flight.

The afterburner is a critical component in some jet engines, designed to provide additional thrust by igniting unburned fuel in the exhaust stream. For the X-59, the afterburner will be essential in helping the aircraft meet its supersonic speed targets while minimizing environmental and acoustic impacts. The test focused on running the X-59’s F414-GE-100 engine with the afterburner engaged, ensuring it operates safely within the required temperature and airflow limits for flight. The successful test also confirmed that the engine can function seamlessly in coordination with the aircraft’s other subsystems.

The X-59 is at the heart of NASA’s Quiet Supersonic Technology (Quesst) mission, which aims to address one of the biggest challenges of supersonic flight—reducing the disruptive sonic boom to a quieter “thump” when flying over land. By tackling this issue, the X-59 will help pave the way for supersonic commercial flights in the future, particularly over populated areas where sonic booms have long been a limiting factor.

With the afterburner engine test completed, the X-59 team is one step closer to the aircraft’s first flight, now slated for 2025. This test represents a key achievement in NASA’s ongoing efforts to push the boundaries of supersonic aviation and quiet flight technology.

By Impact Lab