NASA Prepares for Upcoming X-59 Supersonic Test Flights

Agency to hold media teleconference on March 19 to discuss plans for next phase of quiet supersonic aircraft testing.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 7:48pm

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NASA will hold a media teleconference on Thursday, March 19 to provide an update on the upcoming test flights of its X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft. The X-59 is scheduled to complete its second flight on that day, kicking off a series of envelope expansion flights to assess the aircraft's performance and safety. NASA leadership, project managers, and test pilots will be available to answer questions about the X-59 and the Quesst mission to enable commercial supersonic flight over land.

Why it matters

The X-59 is a key part of NASA's Quesst mission to develop technologies that would allow for supersonic flight over land without producing loud sonic booms. If successful, this could dramatically reduce travel times for commercial flights within the United States and around the world.

The details

For the second flight, the X-59 will take off and land at Edwards Air Force Base, flying for about an hour at speeds up to 260 mph and altitudes up to 20,000 feet. This will be the start of the envelope expansion phase, where NASA will gradually push the aircraft to faster speeds and higher altitudes to assess its performance and safety. After that, the X-59 will undergo flights to evaluate its unique acoustic profile, a key part of the Quesst mission.

  • The X-59 is scheduled to complete its second flight on Thursday, March 19, 2026.
  • NASA will hold a media teleconference at 5:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday, March 19, 2026 to discuss the upcoming X-59 test flights.

The players

Amit Kshatriya

NASA associate administrator.

Cathy Bahm

Project manager, Low Boom Flight Demonstrator, NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center, Edwards, California.

Peter Coen

Quesst mission integration manager, NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia.

Jim 'Clue' Less

X-59 test pilot, NASA Armstrong.

Nils Larson

X-59 test pilot, NASA Armstrong.

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