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A scaled model of the X-59 experimental aircraft is inside a wind tunnel for testing. All of the visible surfaces and the plane are a metallic silver. The aircraft has a distinctive long nose with a curved end. A spotlight on the floor in the far corner lights up the scene.

Putting the X-59 to the Test

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 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.

Image Credit: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

TakenJuly 11, 2025

Image CreditJapan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

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