Aerospace engineers discuss NASA’s Quesst mission and the X-59 aircraft designed to fly faster than the speed of sound and test the future of supersonic travel. HWHAP Episode 341.
Houston, we have a podcast.
Welcome to the official podcast of the NASA Johnson Space center, episode 341, the quest for low sonic booms.
I'm Leah Cheshire, and I'm your host.
Today on this podcast, we bring in the experts, scientists, engineers, and astronauts, all to let you know what's going on in the world of human spaceflight and more.
Have you ever dreamed of boarding a plane and flying faster than the speed of sound, making it to your intended destination in half the time?
It would open a new world of possibilities and accessibility for traveling long distances.
But for the last 51 years, commercial supersonic flights over land have been banned over the United States.
Why sonic booms?
NASA's quest mission has the X 59 aircraft as the centerpiece, and it's addressing the future of supersonic travel by tackling sonic booms designed to fly faster than the speed of sound without generating the strong shockwaves typically associated with supersonic flight.
The slender design of the single seat X 59 enables it to produce a softer thump, opening the possibility of quiet supersonic travel by flying over several communities in the United States and gathering feedback on noise levels.
The goal is to show that the X 59 can fly at supersonic speeds without the traditional sounding sonic boom.
Researchers will survey communities below to ask that they weigh in on the sound that they hear, then provide that data to the FAA and international regulators to evaluate potential changes from a speed limit to a sound limit.
The quest mission could pave the way for widespread commercial supersonic air travel over land, offering faster and more efficient transportation options for people around the world.
Joining me to talk about Quest today are Kathy Baum, the low boom flight demonstrator project manager, and Lori Ozoroski, the commercial supersonic technology project manager.
Both Kathy and Lori are aerospace engineers, focusing on supersonics, making these two a dynamic duo to break down the quest mission and how it could change the game for us all.
So grab your boarding passes and neck pillows, and let's get started.
Houston, we have a podcast.
Hi, Kathy and Lori.
Thank you so much for joining us.
Today on Houston, we have a podcast.