Page 1 - Aerotech News and Review – December 5, 2025

JOURNAL OF AEROSPACE, DEFENSE INDUSTRY AND VETERANS NEWS
NASA’s X-59 completes first flight, prepares for more flight tests
by Nicolas Cholula
NASA Armstrong
After years of design, development, and testing, NASA’s X-59 quiet super- sonic research aircraft took to the skies for the first time Oct. 28, 2025, marking a historic moment for the field of aero- nautics research and the agency’s Quesst mission.
The X-59, designed to fly at supersonic speeds and reduce the sound of loud sonic booms to quieter sonic thumps, took off at 11:14 a.m., EDT, and flew for 67 minutes. The flight represents a major step toward quiet supersonic flight over land.
“Once again, NASA and America are leading the way for the future of flight,” said acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy. “The X-59 is the first of its kind, and a major breakthrough in America’s push toward commercial air travel that’s both quiet and faster than ever before. Thanks to the X-59 team’s innovation and hard work, we’re revolutionizing air travel. This machine is a prime example of the kind of ingenuity and dedication America produces.”
Following a short taxi from contractor Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facil- ity, NASA X-59 test pilot Nils Larson approached U.S. Air Force Plant 42’s runway in Palmdale, Calif., where he completed final system checks and called the tower for clearance.
NASA photograph by Lori Losey
NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft cruises above Palmdale and Edwards, California, during its first flight Oct. 28, 2025. The aircraft traveled to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif.
NASA test pilot Nils Larson steps out of the X-59 after successfully completing the aircraft’s first flight Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. The mission marked a key milestone in advancing NASA’s Quesst mission to enable quiet supersonic flight over land.
NASA photograph by Genaro Vavuris
Then, with a deep breath, steady hands, and confidence in the labor of the X-59’s team, Larson advanced his throttle, picking up speed and begin- ning his climb — joining the few who have taken off in an experimental air- craft for the first time.
“All the training, all the planning that you’ve done prepares you,” Lar- son said. “And there is a time when you realize the weight of the moment. But then the mission takes over. The checklist starts. And it’s almost like you don’t even realize until it’s all over — it’s done.”
The X-59’s first flight went as planned, with the aircraft operating slower than the speed of sound at 230 mph and a maximum altitude of about 12,000 feet, conditions that allowed the team to con- duct in-flight system and performance checks. As is typical for an experimental aircraft’s first flight, landing gear was kept down the entire time while the
team focused on ensuring the aircraft’s airworthiness and safety.
The aircraft traveled north to Ed- wards Air Force Base, circled before landing, and taxied to its new home at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif., officially marking the transition from ground testing to f light operations.
“In this industry, there’s nothing like a first flight,” said Brad Flick, center director of NASA Armstrong. “But there’s no recipe for how to fly an X-plane. You’ve got to figure it out, and adapt, and do the right thing, and make the right decisions.”
Historic flight
The X-59 is the centerpiece of NASA’s Quesst mission, and its first flight connects with the agency’s roots of flying bold, experimental aircraft.
See X-59, on Page 4
Dec. 5, 2025 • Volume 40, Issue 12 Serving the aerospace industry since 1986 www.aerotechnews.com www.facebook.com/aerotechnews
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