NASA’s Mike Lippert Takes Controls of X-59 for First Time

A New Milestone in Quiet Supersonic Flight

NASA test pilot Mike Lippert marked a critical achievement by taking the controls of the experimental X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft for the first time. Following months of intensive simulator training and ground readiness trials, this flight turned technical preparations into active airborne experience.

One-Hour Test Over Edwards, California

Lippert departed on October 21 from NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center located in Edwards, California. During the one-hour evaluation flight, the pilot assessed the handling qualities and core flight systems of the experimental aircraft before returning for a safe landing on the runway.

Paving the Way for Commercial Supersonic Aviation

The X-59 research aircraft is engineered to reduce the disruptive sonic boom to a gentle sonic thump during supersonic travel. Lippert's successful inaugural flight provides essential real-world handling data, supporting the mission to inform aviation regulators and potentially reopen overland supersonic commercial corridors.