Putting the X-59 to the Test
- NASA and JAXA conducted a wind tunnel test on a scale model of the X-59 aircraft to assess noise levels underneath the plane.
- The test was an important milestone for NASA’s one-of-a-kind X-59, designed to fly faster than sound without causing loud sonic booms.
- This marked the third round of wind tunnel tests for the X-59 model, following previous tests at JAXA and NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.
- The data from this test will help researchers understand the noise level created by shock waves produced by the X-59 at supersonic speeds.
- The goal of the X-59 is to reduce sonic booms, which can be a significant disturbance for people on the ground when an aircraft breaks the sound barrier.
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. The model can be seen in the wind tunnel in this image released on July 11, 2025.
The test was an important milestone for NASA’s one-of-a-kind X-59, which is designed to fly faster than the speed of sound without causing a loud sonic boom. When the X-59 flies, sound underneath it – a result of its pressure signature – will be a critical factor for what people hear on the ground.
This marked the third round of wind tunnel tests for the X-59 model, following a previous test at JAXA and at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. The data will help researchers understand the noise level that will be created by the shock waves the X-59 produces at supersonic speeds.
Image credit: JAXA