Jump to content

NASA’s X-59 Progresses Through Tests on the Path to Flight


Recommended Posts

  • Publishers
Posted

3 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

A man supporting the installation of the X-59 ejection seat.
NASA Life Support Technician Mathew Sechler provides support as the X-59’s ejection seat is installed into the aircraft at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works’ facilities in Palmdale, California. Completion of the seat’s installation marks an integration milestone for the aircraft as it prepares for final ground tests.
Lockheed Martin

The team preparing NASA’s X-59 continues through testing in preparation for the quiet supersonic aircraft to make its first flight. This includes a trio of important structural tests and critical inspections on the path to flight.

The X-59 is an experimental plane that will fly faster than the speed of sound without a loud sonic boom. It will be the first of its kind to fly, with the goal of gathering sound data for NASA’s Quesst mission, which could open the door to commercial supersonic overland flight in the future.

Because of its unique design, the X-59’s engineering team must do all it can to predict every aspect of it before it ever takes off, including how its fuselage, wings, and the control surfaces will behave together in flight. That means testing on the ground to give the team the data it needs to validate the models they’ve developed.

“The testing not only tells us how structurally sound the aircraft is, but also what kind of forces it can take once it is in the air.

WALT SILVA

WALT SILVA

Senior Research Scientist at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, who serves as structures lead for the X-59.

The X-59’s structural tests provide the team with valuable feedback. From 2022 to –2024 the engineers collected data on the forces that the aircraft will experience in flight and the potential effects of vibrations on the plane.

“You do these tests, you get the data, and things compare well in some areas and in other areas you want to improve them,” Silva said. “So, you figure that all out and then you work towards making it better.”

Three men installing the
Lockheed Martin technicians temporarily remove the canopy from the X-59 in preparation for final installation of the ejection seat into the aircraft.
Lockheed Martin

Earlier this year, the X-59 underwent structural coupling tests that saw its control surfaces, including its ailerons, flaps and rudder, moved by computer. It was the last of three vital structural tests. In 2023, engineers applied “shakers” to parts of the plane to evaluate its response to vibrations, and in early 2022 they conducted a proof test to ensure the aircraft would absorb the forces it will experience during flight. This year the X-59 ejection seat was installed and passed inspection. The ejection seat is an additional safety measure that is critical for pilot safety during all aspects of flight.

With structural tests and ejection seat installation complete, the aircraft will advance toward a new milestone, starting up its engines for a series of test runs on the ground.

Also ahead for the X-59 is testing the airplane’s avionics and extensive wiring for potential electromagnetic interference, imitating flight conditions in a ground test environment, and finally, completing taxi tests to validate ground mobility before first flight.

“First flights are always very intense,” said Natalie Spivey, aerospace engineer at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. “There’s lots of anticipation, but we’re ready to get there and see how the aircraft responds in the air. It’ll be very exciting.”

View the full article

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Similar Topics

    • By NASA
      NASA’s Stennis Space Center employees were recognized with Honoree Awards from NASA’s Space Flight Awareness Program during a March 10 ceremony in Orlando, Florida, for outstanding support of human spaceflight.
      Stennis Space Center employee Melissa Wagner of Pass Christian, Mississippi, is presented with the NASA Space Flight Awareness Program Honoree Award during a March 10 ceremony. Wagner (second from left) receives the award from (left to right): NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik, NASA Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate Acting Associate Administrator Dr. Lori Glaze, and NASA Space Operations Mission Directorate Associate Administrator Kenneth Bowersox. NASA/Kennedy Space Center Melissa Wagner of Pass Christian, Mississippi, is a NASA contract specialist in the Office of Procurement at NASA Stennis. She received the honor for contributions to NASA’s Artemis campaign by identifying potential risks related to propulsion test efforts in support of the initiative, resulting in successful mitigation actions.
      NASA’s Stennis Space Center employee Samone Wilson of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, is presented with the NASA Space Flight Awareness Program Honoree Award during a March 10 ceremony. Wilson (second from left) receives the award from (left to right): NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik, NASA Space Operations Mission Directorate Associate Administrator Kenneth Bowersox, and NASA Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate Acting Associate Administrator Dr. Lori Glaze.NASA/Kennedy Space Center Samone Wilson of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, is a NASA public affairs specialist in the Office of Communications at NASA Stennis. She received the honor for her work in telling others about NASA and NASA Stennis activities and missions.
      Timothy Miller of Pearl River, Louisiana, is a senior drafter for Syncom Space Services at NASA Stennis. Although unable to attend the ceremony, he received the honor for contributions supporting flight systems integration, facility readiness, and cost reduction with his use of Creo Parametric modeling, a powerful 3D software.
      Madison Monti of Kiln, Mississippi, is a security support specialist for Chenega Global Protection at NASA Stennis. Although unable to attend the ceremony, she received the honor for contributions supporting the badging office at NASA Stennis to ensure a consistent, efficient, and secure process.

      NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik, Space Operations Mission Directorate Associate Administrator Kenneth Bowersox, and Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate Acting Associate Administrator Dr. Lori Glaze presented the awards.
      Bresnik, assistant-to-the-chief of the Astronaut Office for Exploration, was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2004. He manages the development and testing of everything that will operate beyond low-Earth orbit on Artemis missions. Bresnik previously served as commander of the International Space Station for Expedition 53 and flight engineer for Expedition 52.
      In recognition of flight program contributions, honorees toured NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida and viewed the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft named Endurance in conjunction with the launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10.
      The spacecraft carried NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscomos cosmonaut Kirill Pesko to the International Space Station on March 14 as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. NASA’s Space Flight Awareness Program recognizes outstanding job performances and contributions by civil service and contract employees throughout the year and focuses on excellence in quality and safety in support of human spaceflight. The Honoree Award is one of the highest honors presented to employees for their dedication to quality work and flight safety. Recipients must have contributed beyond their normal work requirements toward achieving a particular human spaceflight program goal; contributed to a major cost savings; been instrumental in developing material that increases reliability, efficiency or performance; assisted in operational improvements; or been a key player in developing a beneficial process improvement.
      For information about Silver Snoopy and other Space Flight Awareness awards, visit:
      SFA Honoree Award – NASA
      For information about NASA’s Stennis Space Center, visit:
      Stennis Space Center – NASA

      View the full article
    • By NASA
      NASA/Jordan Cochran Thomas Ozoroski, a researcher at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, takes icing accretion measurements in October 2024 as part of transonic truss-braced wing concept research.
      In the future, aircraft with long, thin wings supported by aerodynamic braces could help airlines save on fuel costs – but those same wings could be susceptible to ice buildup. In the historic Icing Research Tunnel at NASA Glenn, scientists and engineers are testing a concept for a transonic truss-braced wing. Their goal: to collect important data to inform the design of these potential efficient aircraft of the future.
      NASA Glenn can simulate icing conditions in its Icing Research Tunnel to identify potential challenges for new aircraft designs. These tests provide valuable information about how ice builds up on wings and can help identify the most critical icing conditions for safety.
      Read more about icing testing at NASA Glenn.
      Image credit: NASA/Jordan Cochran
      View the full article
    • By NASA
      NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 Post-Flight News Conference
    • By European Space Agency
      Two spacecraft flying as one – that is the goal of European Space Agency’s Proba-3 mission. Earlier this week, the eclipse-maker moved a step closer to achieving that goal, as both spacecraft aligned with the Sun, maintaining their relative position for several hours without any control from the ground.
      View the full article
  • Check out these Videos

×
×
  • Create New...