We are closer to the first flight of the X-59: NASA’s long-awaited supersonic plane starts its engine for the first time

The first flight of the X-59 is getting closer. NASA has started to test the airplane engine whose main objective is to produce a less intrusive sonic boom. This is a milestone for the project that began way back in 2016 and that, despite having suffered some delays, now seems to be advancing at a good pace towards its most interesting stages.

The tests that began on October 30 differ from the previous ones in one key aspect: the engine has operated without being connected to external energy sources. In the first phase, teams from the US space agency and those from the contractor Skunk Works (Lockheed Martin) rotated the engine at low speed.

The X-59 “starts engines”

Once they made sure there were no glitches in sight, they proceeded to launch it into the next phase. Starting the X-59 engine It allowed engineers to check the operation of the hydraulic, electrical, environmental control systems, among others.

We are still talking about integrated tests that are carried out on land. The following stages will consist of testing the engine under different acceleration conditions. The aircraft will also undergo flight simulation testing in a laboratory, as well as taxi tests, where the X-59 will move on the ground.

When we talk about the engine of this experimental supersonic aircraft we are not talking about a completely new engine. It is, in fact, a General Electric F414 like the one equipped with F-18 Super Hornetbut with a series of special modifications to work on the NASA plane.

The idea is that the The first flight, according to NASA’s updated schedule, will occur sometime in 2025.

Images | POT

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