The dream of making commercial supersonic flights as commonplace in the future as taking a charter flight to the beach is today took a step forward this Friday and became a reality. NASA has officially unveiled its experimental X-59 aircraft, capable of breaking the sound barrier without making almost any noise. This achievement eliminates one of the major problems in using hypersonic speed in daily life.
The X-59, the result of a collaboration between the US space agency and the aerospace company Lockheed Martin, is planning its first flight this year. A future full of activity awaits: as NASA announced at the presentation ceremony, the device will fly over certain populated areas for years to collect data on silent supersonic flights, their impact and their reception in these communities.
The aim is to pave the way for a new generation of commercial flights that can fly faster than the speed of sound and halve the journey time: from New York to London, for example, in just three hours.
The X-59 aircraft in an artistic replica.cr103.com (creativity103.com)
“In just a few years we have gone from an ambitious concept to reality. “NASA is in California.
The artifact appears to be a futuristic, minimalist vision of the fusion of an airplane and an arrow. 30 meters long and 9 meters wide, a third of its torso is made up of the nose, long and thin like a stork's beak. Something that, as Melroy explained, makes it possible to prevent the accumulation of sound waves that cause the characteristic boom of supersonic aviation. Instead, the flight of this plane was “just a whisper,” he assured. Or at most the sound of a car door closing, according to the space agency's engineers.
Every element of its special design is carefully thought out to keep noise to a minimum. From its relatively compact wings to a cockpit that is located in the middle of the fuselage and has no front window. The pilot is guided by the images provided by high-resolution and augmented reality cameras installed in the fuselage and displayed on a monitor in the cabin, also high-resolution. The only engine is located at the top of the ship to prevent sound waves from accumulating beneath the device and causing noise. The aircraft will be able to fly at 1.4 times the speed of sound, or 1,485 kilometers per hour.
NASA's Quest project, which includes the X-59, aims to collect data that will allow air regulators to lift the half-century ban on supersonic commercial flights over land. This veto in the United States and other countries is due to the inconvenience caused to the population by the loud noise of crossing the sound barrier.
During the test flights, which will take years, NASA will “share the data and technology gained from this mission with regulators and industry,” said Bob Pearce, associate administrator for aeronautical research at NASA's space agency headquarters in Washington. To do this, it will fly over cities across the United States, where data will be collected from communities to find out how they perceive the device. “By demonstrating that silent, supersonic commercial flight is possible, we aim to open new commercial markets for American companies and benefit travelers around the world,” he added.
With the aircraft launched, NASA will now focus on preparing for the first flight, including testing the engine and its integrated systems. After your first takeoff and landing, the next step is to complete a supersonic flight.
But although a new step has been taken, the dream of commercial hypersonic flights is still a long way off. According to NASA, to make these plans viable, aspects such as fuel consumption efficiency or emissions reduction must be improved. “It has to be sustainable,” reminds the space agency.
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