« This image makes the invisible visible “Haded Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic. This technical feat is not by chance. To capture such a moment, it took extreme precision in the XB-1 trajectory. His chief test pilot, Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg, followed a determined route using software designed from NASA data. Once aligned with the sun above the Mojave desert, ground telescopes equipped with special filters made it possible to capture this striking image.
A supersonic jet that does not shake the ground
Beyond visual performance, this sequence has brought key acoustic information. NASA’s ground sensors did not detect any perceptible sonic bangs during the XB-1 flight. A notable advance because in the United States, commercial supersonic flights are prohibited above inhabited areas because of the sound nuisance generated.
The Boom Supersonic company hopes to make a commercial aircraft capable of reaching Mach 1.3 without producing sound detonation on the ground. This technology, called “Boomless Cruise”, could reduce the flight times by 50 % on certain links, such as crossing an ocean or transcontinental routes.
Another fundamental aspect of this research concerns environmental impact. Boom Supersonic claims that the overture will work with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), thus reducing its carbon footprint compared to conventional aircraft. By integrating light composite materials and optimized engines, the company wants to make supersonic flight not only faster, but also more environmentally friendly.
This flight was the last XB-1 test, which will now give way to the production of the future supersonic airliner, overture. Boom Supersonic has already received orders from several airlines, including United Airlines, American Airlines and Japan Airlines. Last year, the company completed the construction of its factory in North Carolina, where it plans to manufacture up to 66 Overture devices per year.
The objective is to bring supersonic transport to the commercial sky, more than 20 years after the Concorde stopped, but this time by eliminating the problem of the Sonique Bang. The advances of Boom Supersonic and Nasa show that this dream could soon come true.
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