NASA's X-59 Achieves Milestone with First Wheels-Up Flight
NASA's X-59, a quiet supersonic research aircraft, has completed its first wheels-up flight, a significant step in its testing phase. The flight, piloted by NASA test pilot Jim 'Clue' Less, lasted 90 minutes, reaching an altitude of 20,000 feet and a speed of 460 mph. This milestone allows NASA to assess the aircraft's streamlined profile, crucial for achieving supersonic speeds with reduced sonic booms. The X-59 is central to NASA's Quesst mission, which aims to enable commercial supersonic flight over land by reducing the noise impact of sonic booms. 
