NASA moves a step closer to supersonic passenger flights

deconstruct@lemm.ee to Technology@lemmy.ml – 393 points –
NASA moves a step closer to supersonic passenger flights | CNN
cnn.com

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.

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A quarter billion dollars to build just a prototype and retread the Concorde fiasco with all its attendant environmental destruction. What does this have to do with exploring space, which is what I thought was NASA's mission?

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Atmospheric based praise pursuits have always been within their purview. Space just gets all the press.

Fair point. It's still striking to me how much public money is being thrown at a project that will benefit just a handful of private citizens.

Why is it striking to you that A government funded by billionaires for billionaires is spending public funds on things that will only benefit billionaires?

What does this have to do with exploring space, which is what I thought was NASA's mission?

stonks-up

And you can add 1billion for the previous attempt

The American government cancelled its SST project in 1971 having spent more than $1 billion without any aircraft being built.[299]