New Delhi: NASA has successfully conducted the first flight test of the X59 quiet supersonic research aircraft, that flew above Palmdale and Edwards in California, USA on 28 October 2025. The inaugural flight took place after years of design, development and testing with NASA revealing the aircraft to the public for the first time in January 2024 . The Concorde and the Tupolev Tu-144 were the only civilian supersonic aircraft to operate, and are now both retired, because of the loud sonic booms produced over land as the vehicles transitioned to supersonic speeds. The X59 is designed to produce quieter sonic thumps instead of Sonic Booms.

The flight lasted for little more than an hour, and represents a major step towards the reintroduction of supersonic civilian flights over land. The t

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