Wedoany.com Report on Mar 18th, The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) plans to conduct the second test flight of its X-59 Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST) aircraft this week at the Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The flight is expected to occur before a NASA media conference on March 19, though the exact timing has not been announced. The conference will be held after the completion of the follow-on mission.

The X-59 Quiet Supersonic aircraft will depart from Armstrong for a mission lasting approximately one hour, which includes takeoff and landing at the neighboring Edwards Air Force Base. According to NASA's plan, the aircraft will cruise at an altitude of 12,000 feet at a speed of about 230 miles per hour, then climb to 20,000 feet and accelerate to approximately 260 miles per hour.

As part of NASA's Quesst mission, the X-59 Quiet Supersonic aircraft completed its first flight in October 2025, with test pilot Niels Larsen conducting the initial evaluation. This second flight marks the beginning of a series of envelope expansion tests, during which NASA will progressively increase speed and altitude to evaluate the aircraft's performance and safety under more demanding conditions.

The X-59 Quiet Supersonic aircraft was developed in collaboration with Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works. It explores noise-reducing supersonic flight technology by optimizing the aircraft's shape to modify shockwave patterns. Data collected during the flights will inform future research into overland supersonic operations.