Forget jet lag: NASA's X-59 could get you from New York to London in three hours and you won't even feel it

NASA’s X-59 supersonic jet, known as the “son of Concorde,” has passed a key milestone. On 10 July, the aircraft carried out its first taxi tests at the US Air Force’s Plant 42 in Palmdale, California. For the first time, it moved under its own power across the runway at low speed.

This is the final stretch of ground trials before the aircraft takes to the skies later this year. Engineers closely observed the jet’s movement to assess how it steered and braked. Everything from control systems to stability checks was on the table. According to NASA, these steps are critical to confirm that the aircraft is safe and ready to fly.

In a press release, the space agency said, “Over the coming weeks, the aircraft will gradually increase its speed, leading up to a high-speed taxi test that will take the aircraft just short of the point where it would take off.”

Breakfast in New York, lunch in London
The X-59 is not just an engineering experiment. It’s a part of NASA’s Quesst mission, which aims to bring supersonic flight back—this time, without the noise.

The aircraft has a sleek design with a long, narrow nose intended to break up the shock waves that create the deafening sonic boom heard when a plane exceeds the speed of sound. Instead of a boom, the X-59 is expected to produce a soft “thump.”

NASA officials said the plane could reach speeds of up to 925 miles per hour. That could mean a flight between New York and London might take just three and a half hours.

The agency added that it would share data from the X-59’s test flights with US and international regulators. The hope is to help shape new rules that would allow commercial supersonic travel over land, which is currently banned due to noise concerns.

Supersonic flight: A complicated history
The promise of faster-than-sound travel is not new. The Concorde, jointly developed by British Airways and Air France, debuted in 1976. It flew at around 1,350 miles per hour and famously completed the New York to London route in under three hours in 1996.

But the Concorde had its problems. It was expensive to operate, had limited seating, and faced rising maintenance costs. After a crash in 2000 killed 113 people, its future was uncertain. By 2003, it was permanently grounded.

Supersonic flights over land have been banned in the US and many other countries for nearly 50 years. The reason? The sonic boom was too disruptive for people living below flight paths.

NASA’s current work is meant to address that issue directly. If the X-59 can deliver on its quiet performance, it could pave the way for new commercial aircraft that offer speed without noise.

With the low-speed taxi test now complete, the next steps will involve gradually increasing the aircraft’s speed. The high-speed ground run will push the jet just to the point of takeoff. If all systems remain stable, NASA will give the green light for the X-59’s first flight later this year.

It is not yet a commercial aircraft. But it could be the beginning of a new chapter for air travel. A future where flying faster than sound no longer comes with a sonic penalty. A future, perhaps, where early morning coffee in New York could be followed by a midday stroll through London.