Researchers from NASA and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Company (JAXA) recently tested a scale model of the X-59 experimental aircraft in a supersonic wind tunnel situated in Chofu, Japan, to evaluate the noise audible beneath the plane. The mannequin might be seen within the wind tunnel on this picture launched on July 11, 2025.
The check was an essential milestone for NASA’s one-of-a-kind X-59, which is designed to fly sooner than the pace of sound with out inflicting a loud sonic growth. When the X-59 flies, sound beneath it – a results of its strain signature – shall be a vital issue for what folks hear on the bottom.
This marked the third spherical of wind tunnel exams for the X-59 mannequin, following a earlier check at JAXA and at NASA’s Glenn Analysis Middle in Cleveland. The information will assist researchers perceive the noise degree that shall be created by the shock waves the X-59 produces at supersonic speeds.
Picture credit score: JAXA