NASA X-59 First Solo Flight Oct. 21

NASA test pilot Mike Lippert will take the X-59 for its first solo flight on Oct. 21, 2026. The quiet-supersonic research aircraft first flew in November 2025 and broke the sound barrier on June 5, 2026. Lippert's flight will begin at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, and last about an hour. The crew performed routine maintenance and a full systems review before launch, after the aircraft's busiest week of testing. This mission marks the next step in proving quiet supersonic travel for future commercial use. The X-59 carries noise-reduction technology that NASA hopes will let supersonic jets fly over land without breaking the sound barrier. Lippert, who has logged over 4,000 flight hours, will monitor the aircraft's performance during the hour-long test. The test follows the X-59's first supersonic flight on June 5, 2026, and its many subsonic sorties.