“After breaking the sound barrier for the first time, NASA’s X-59 supersonic jet flew faster and at higher altitudes in preparation for its most crucial test.

The experimental aircraft reached a speed of Mach 1.4 during a test flight on Friday, June 12, flying at the same conditions NASA will use to gather data from the public on the aircraft’s noise, according to the space agency. The X-59 is designed to break the sound barrier without producing the loud, explosive sound known as a sonic boom.

NASA is preparing to fly the aircraft above selected U.S. communities to gauge public response, aiming to use X-59 to pave the way for supersonic jets to fly over land without their audible disruptions.”

From Gizmodo.