NASA Aeronautics

X-59 has officially completed its first flight ever! The @NASA X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft took to the skies for the first time Oct. 28, marking a historic moment for the field of aeronautics research. ✈️A culmination of all the right stuff: go.nasa.gov/3K3QsnC

Next up: X-59’s second flight ✈️ Before the supersonic aircraft takes to the skies, explore how our Silicon Valley center used cutting-edge supercomputing simulations, wind tunnel tests, and more to bring NASA closer to making the quiet supersonic travel over land a reality. go.nasa.gov/40HdgOU

X-59 Update: Second Flight has been rescheduled for Friday, March 20. 📢Interested media can RSVP to join a teleconference to learn more about upcoming test flights: go.nasa.gov/4754gqn

NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less will be at the X-59’s controls for second flight. “This will be the first time I’ve flown an X-plane,” Less said. “I think I’ll mostly be focused on getting the test cards done and getting them done correctly. It’ll probably sink in later that I was in the X-59.” go.nasa.gov/4dqC70O

We're preparing for X-59's second flight ✈️ a step that will set the pace for more flight testing in 2026. Over the coming months, we'll take the quiet supersonic jet faster and higher while validating safety and performance, a process known as envelope expansion. More: go.nasa.gov/4dqC70O

We’ve got a date for X-59’s second flight: 03/19! ✈️ This flight will kick off a series of flights known as envelope expansion, during which NASA will gradually take the X-59 faster & higher. 📢@NASA Invites Media to Learn About Upcoming Test Flights: go.nasa.gov/4754gqn

Our luck is out of this world! 🔭🍀 From QUESST’s quiet supersonics to our many contributions to Artemis, Langley’s innovative work continues to strike gold. Wishing you a happy St. Patrick's Day from NASA Langley. 🌈

Happy St. Patrick's Day! ☘️ Shock wave imaging is just one of the techniques NASA's SCHAMROQ project is using to help us prepare for future phases of our Quesst mission! For more info visit: go.nasa.gov/3PcW69o

Congratulations to the finalists in the Gateways to Blue Skies Competition! ✈️ This student challenge supports @NASAaero as teams develop concepts to advance aircraft maintenance and repair operations with an emphasis on improving efficiency, safety, and costs. Learn more: go.nasa.gov/3N4Xk5Y

2025 was a big year for the Quesst mission! After years of design, development, and testing, NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft took to the skies for the first time October 28, marking a historic moment for the field of aeronautics research and the agency’s Quesst mission. Watch these highlights from our series, 59 seconds on the X-59, and see NASA test pilot Nils Larson give a behind the scenes look at what it took to fly the one-of-a-kind experimental aircraft for the first time!

NASA is seeking experts to review proposals and help select organizations that will support the future aerospace workforce. 🚀✈️ Interested? Learn more and apply by Thursday, March 12: go.nasa.gov/4beEUrs

NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center is where experimental flight takes off. ✈️ Located at Edwards Air Force Base in California’s Mojave Desert, Armstrong operates within the nation’s largest secure flight test range—spanning about 470 square miles and including Rogers Dry Lake’s 44-square-mile natural runway. The vast airspace allows NASA teams to safely conduct complex flight testing. Learn more: go.nasa.gov/4boOedj

Imagine trying to photograph wind. NASA researchers have developed an award-winning camera system that makes the invisible visible—capturing shock waves and airflow in unprecedented detail to help engineers design safer, more efficient aircraft. ✈️ Learn more: go.nasa.gov/4speFoZ

The skies above traditional air traffic are getting busier. ✈️ NASA is developing a high-altitude traffic management system to help coordinate aircraft flying 50,000 feet and higher, supporting missions like communications, Earth observation, and disaster monitoring. Learn more: go.nasa.gov/4sn5dCv

Introducing the next generation Vertical Motion Simulator cab! The upgrade was installed at our Silicon Valley center to advance the testing of new air and spacecraft designs. Packed with a state-of-the-art cockpit display and 4K resolution video system, this new cab will produce fast and sharp simulations to help shape the future of flight.

Keep your eyes on the sky early tomorrow morning to see the Blood Moon and a total lunar eclipse! 🔴 The Moon will appear dark orange or red as Earth’s shadow blocks most of the Sun’s light from reaching the lunar surface.

Do you think living in a city or in a suburb will affect how you respond to air taxis? NASA is working with partners to better understand how people respond to air taxi noise when these aircraft take to the skies. Learn more here: go.nasa.gov/3P2IBZA

As autonomous aircraft take to the skies, managing low-altitude airspace is becoming increasingly complex. A NASA-inspired “data fabric” uses artificial intelligence to connect information from multiple sources in real time, helping air taxis and drones coordinate routes, prioritize tasks, and operate safely together. 🚁✈️ Learn more in this NASA Spinoff story: go.nasa.gov/4cLPrwr #NASASpinoff #AdvancedAirMobility #UrbanAirMobility #AirTaxis #Drones #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfFlight #Aeronautics

Traveling several times the speed of sound generates tremendous heat — enough to threaten aircraft structures and onboard systems. NASA funding supported the development of advanced multilayer insulation using aerogels and reflective materials to block that heat, enabling safer high-speed flight and new aerospace applications. Learn more in this NASA Spinoff story: go.nasa.gov/4b0RlXQ #NASASpinoff #Aeronautics #HighSpeedFlight #Hypersonics #ThermalProtection #AdvancedMaterials #AerospaceEngineering

Lithium-ion batteries offer major advantages for modern aircraft but pose safety challenges if damaged or defective. NASA-derived screening, testing, and containment technologies help prevent thermal runaway and improve reliability for aerospace and other critical applications.🔋✈️ Learn more in this NASA Spinoff story: go.nasa.gov/3MvFDfB #NASASpinoff #NASATechnology #BatterySafety #ThermalRunaway #ElectricAviation #AdvancedAirMobility #AviationSafety