NASA X-59 reaches Mach 1.4, aims for car door quiet

Technology Jun 13, 2026

NASA's X-59 jet reached Mach 1.4 at 55,000 feet on June 12, 2026, a huge step toward making supersonic flights less noisy.
The goal? To turn those old, disruptive sonic booms into a sound roughly equivalent to a car door closing down the street, which could finally lift the decades-old ban on supersonic travel over land.

NASA to collect US noise feedback

Built with Lockheed Martin, the X-59's super-long nose helps break up shockwaves so they don't merge into one loud boom. Instead, it creates a softer sound, about as loud as a car door closing down the street.
Next up: NASA will fly over US communities and collect feedback to see if people notice (or even care about) the noise difference.
If all goes well, faster flights across the country could be back on the table.