Manufacturing Biz #2 - Magazine - Page 32
Quiet aircraft may be the start
of a boom in supersonic travel
L
ockheed Martin Skunk Works® rolled
out the X-59, a unique experimental
aircraft designed to quiet the sonic
boom, at a ceremony in Palmdale,
California.
The ceremony marked a significant
milestone in Lockheed Martin and NASA’s
decades-long journey to solve one of the
most persistent challenges of supersonic
flight – the sonic boom. “We’re thrilled to
take on this challenge alongside NASA,
whose quiet supersonic technology
mission will have lasting, transformational
impacts for people around the world,” said
John Clark, vice president and general
manager, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works.
leaned into the expertise of both legendary
organizations, NASA and Lockheed Martin,
to ensure success for this program. I am
extremely proud of everyone who made
this historic moment possible,” said Greg
Ulmer, executive vice president, Lockheed
Martin Aeronautics.
“This project is just one
example of the broader
ingenuity of our industry
as we continually strive to
push the envelope of what’s
possible.”
- John Clark, vice president
and general manager,
Lockheed Martin Skunk
Works
• Pam Melroy, NASA Deputy Administrator
Rollout ceremonies are a long-standing
aviation tradition, and in the case of the
X-59, it celebrated technical advancements,
collaboration and innovation that
stemmed from years of research,
development and production of a one-of-akind technology demonstrator aircraft that
will reduce the loudness of sonic booms
to a gentle thump. “The entire X-59 team
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Lockheed Martin, NASA and government
leaders attended the ceremony to include:
• Greg Ulmer, executive vice president,
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
• John Clark, vice president and general
manager, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works
• Jim Free, NASA Associate Administrator
• Bob Pearce, NASA Associate Administrator
• Dee Dee Myers, California’s Senior,
Economic Advisor to the Governor
Next for the aircraft will be the completion
of ground tests including engine-run and
taxi tests before its next major milestone,
first flight, later this year. After the aircraft
is validated in initial flight tests, it will
move into the acoustic testing phase.
This phase will include flights over
populated areas to provide U.S. and
international regulators with statistically
valid data required to help approve new
rules that could allow quiet commercial
supersonic flight over land.
This would cut commercial flight times to
half of what they are today, transforming
travel for people around the world.
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