What Is X-59 Quiet Supersonic Aircraft? NASA And Lockheed Martin's Plane That Can Travel Faster Than Speed Of Sound

The speed of sound is also called Mach 1, and anything faster than this, up to Mach 5, is said to be supersonic. An example of a supersonic aeroplane is NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft.

On January 12, 2024, NASA and Maryland-based aerospace firm Lockheed Martin formally unveiled X-59, an experimental quiet supersonic aircraft, outside Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works Facility in California. ( Image Source :Lockheed Martin/NASA )

Can you imagine an aeroplane travelling faster than the speed of light? Well, that is definitely not possible, for nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. But, it will come as a surprise to many that an aircraft may travel faster than the speed of sound, which is 343 metres per second. The speed of sound is also called Mach 1, and anything faster than this, up to Mach 5, is said to be supersonic. An interesting example of a supersonic aeroplane is NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic