Verified press release report
NASA’s X-59 Aircraft Flies Supersonic for First Time
NASA’s experimental X-59 aircraft marked a major milestone Friday, June 5, when it flew faster than the speed of sound for the first time, setting the stage for demonstrating its quiet supersonic capabilities later this year.  NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less took off and landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California, reaching a top speed of approximately Mach 1.1 (713 mph) and altitude of 43,400 feet. The X-59’s flight began at 11:08 a.m. PDT and lasted 81 minutes, with the team focusing on flying qualities at both subsonic and then […]
What happened
According to NASA’s press release item, NASA’s X-59 Aircraft Flies Supersonic for First Time, NASA’s experimental X-59 aircraft marked a major milestone Friday, June 5, when it flew faster than the speed of sound for the first time, setting the stage for demonstrating its quiet supersonic capabilities later this year. NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less took off and landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California, reaching a top speed of approximately Mach 1.1 (713 mph) and altitude of 43,400 feet. The X-59’s flight began at 11:08 a.m. PDT and lasted 81 minutes, with the team focusing on flying qualities at both subsonic and then […]
Context
The development sits in VINI’s Technology file for readers following technology, science, product policy, markets, infrastructure, and the public consequences of innovation. The original report is linked so readers can check the source account, follow later updates, and compare new coverage against the first published record. The source item is dated 2026-06-05T20:44:57+00:00.
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Primary source: NASA’s X-59 Aircraft Flies Supersonic for First Time via NASA. VINI cites and links the source; it does not reproduce the publisher’s full article text without rights clearance.
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Source links
- NASA’s X-59 Aircraft Flies Supersonic for First TimeNASA - 2026-06-05T20:44:57+00:00
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