In July, Lockheed Martin completed the build of NASA’s X-59 test aircraft, which is designed to turn sonic booms into mere thumps, in the hope of making overland supersonic flight a possibility. Ground tests and a first test flight are planned for later in the year. NASA aims to have enough data to hand over to US regulators in 2027.

  • gammasfor@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    45
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    I’d hate to live in a world where just because something isn’t immediately useful it shouldn’t be researched.

    Being able to demonstrate the ability to suppress a sonic boom would be huge.

    • lntl@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      arrow-down
      3
      ·
      1 year ago

      Nah, there must be a reason to fund research. Then, publicly funded research must align with the public’s good.