Keith King’s Post

How NASA's new supersonic jet replaced the boom with a quiet thud  Imagine leaving work in L.A. or San Francisco a little early on a Friday afternoon and winding up with a drink on the beach in Maui before cocktail hour is over. Imagine Seattle to Tokyo in four hours, New York to London in three-plus, J. George Gorant writes for the Robb NASA's X-59 is shaped to reduce the loudness of a sonic boom reaching the ground to that of a gentle thump, if it is heard at all. It will be flown above select U.S. communities to generate data from sensors and people on the ground in order to gauge public perception. That data will help regulators establish new rules to enable commercial supersonic air travel over land. NASA is working closely with Lockheed Martin to create a large database of computational fluid dynamics simulations to verify the aircraft’s supersonic performance. The database includes simulations for all possible combinations of settings that a pilot uses to control the aircraft and the flight conditions that may be encountered. This database is crucial for supplying data for a flight-planning tool that is being used to assist and teach pilots how to fly the X-59, before it even flies. In March, Boom Supersonic, a Denver-based company building a faster-than-sound commercial aircraft, Overture, announced the successful flight of XB-1, an independently-developed supersonic jet, at the Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, California. Like Overture, XB-1 leverages state-of-the-art technologies to enable efficient supersonic flight including carbon fiber composites, advanced avionics, digitally-optimized aerodynamics, and an advanced supersonic propulsion system.

GET TO GRIPS WITH HIGH-TECH HUMAN FACTORS Unveiled by NASA earlier this week, a new supersonic aircraft looks to make commercial flights possible at a speed of up to 925mph. To be able to fly over land, the aircraft had to be designed to disperse shock waves that lead to sonic booms. To assist with this, the cockpit is positioned almost halfway down the length of the plane and the cockpit windows have been moved to the side. Forward-facing high-res cameras feed the outside view to a monitor in the cockpit. This change from direct view for the pilot to camera-fed view is interesting from a human factors perspective. Will it make a difference to the pilot's situation awareness? Will it affect reaction time? What's the best position for the monitor? If you're interested in high-tech systems and human-machine interaction, consider a career in human factors and you could be investigating similar issues. You could look into how technological changes effect people and their capabilities. You could work in multi-disciplinary teams to work out how to ensure complex systems are optimised for human performance. And you could be at the forefront of integrating technology and human-centred design. Find out more about #careers in #humanfactors Link: https://lnkd.in/ePkD4eCC

How does a new X-59 Quesst, designed and built by NASA and Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works, fly at twice the speed of sound without creating a loud sonic boom when it breaks the sound barrier? Well, science. It’s been a little over 20 years since the Concord, the last supersonic jet, flew at twice the speed of sound. Now NASA has unveiled a revolutionary experimental supersonic “quiet” jet called the X-59 Quesst ("Quiet SuperSonic Technology") that “is designed to break the sound barrier without the thunderous sonic booms that typically occur when aircraft go supersonic.” According to an article on The Aviation Geek Club website “The X-plane accomplishes this by a tailored design that separates the shock waves that produce sonic booms, making them quieter. The resulting supersonic “heartbeat” is dramatically quieter than the disruptive N-wave boom generated by today’s supersonic aircraft. So it turns out there will be a sound when the X-59 Quesst does break the sound barrier, but it will be a much quieter and muffled sound instead of the loud booming sound from a sonic boom. Among the X-59 Quesst’s many technical innovations is the lack of a forward window. If there’s now front facing windows then how does the pilot actually see where they’re going? The X-59 Quesst “features what NASA calls the eXternal Vision System, or XVS, which consists of a camera and a cockpit-mounted screen that offers pilots an augmented-reality view of what's in front of the jet.” The forward-facing window was removed from the design of the aircraft to “help reduce the sonic boom the aircraft produces.” Flight tests are scheduled to begin this year over populated areas to survey people on the ground to better understand how loud the aircraft really is. https://lnkd.in/dyPNd87Q

NASA Unveils Revolutionary X-59 'Quiet' Supersonic Aircraft: After years of development, NASA has unveiled the X-59 supersonic jet capable of breaking the sound barrier without producing a thunderous sonic boom. "Instead, the Quesst will make a much quieter 'thump,' similar to the sound of a car door slamming as heard from indoors," reports Space.com. "If successful, the jet has the potential to revolutionize supersonic flight and aviation in general." From the report: NASA and Lockheed Martin showed off the finished X-59 Quesst ("Quiet SuperSonic Technology") today (Jan. 12) in front of a crowd of nearly 150 at the legendary Lockheed Martin Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California, a research and development site typically known for its secrecy. The elongated beak-like nose section of the aircraft stood out prominently, showing off the fact that it does not have a forward-facing window. [...] Instead, it features what NASA calls the eXternal Vision System, or XVS, which consists of a camera and a cockpit-mounted screen that offers pilots an augmented-reality view of what's in front of the jet. Jim Free, NASA's associate administrator, continued this sentiment, noting that the X-59 is merely the latest in a long line of NASA X-planes that have revolutionized aviation throughout the agency's history. "Even among other X-planes, the X-59 is special. Every aircraft that receives that X-plane designation has a specific purpose to test new technologies or aerodynamic concepts," Free said, "These special planes push the envelope of what's possible in flight. And once they prove those concepts, they often go into museums. And that's really what makes the X-59 different." Free was referring to the fact that once the X-59 is ready for flight, the jet will make multiple flights over select residential areas in the United States in order to collect data on how people on the ground below experience and react to the quieter sonic booms it creates. NASA will then use that data to seek approval for commercial supersonic flights from regulatory agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration, with the ultimate goal of making aviation more sustainable and enabling faster flight over populated areas. Some of the applications of supersonic flight mentioned at today's unveiling include rapid medical response, shorter shipping times and, of course, faster travel. "The first 'A' in NASA stands for aeronautics," said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy during the unveiling ceremony. "And we're all about groundbreaking aerospace innovation. The X-59 proudly continues this legacy, representing the forefront of technology driving aviation forward." The 'X' in NASA's latest X-plane stands for 'experimental.' "This isn't just an airplane, this is an X-plane," Melroy added. "It's the manifestation of a collaborative genius." Read more of this story at Slashdot.

NASA Unveils Revolutionary X-59 'Quiet' Supersonic Aircraft: After years of development, NASA has unveiled the X-59 supersonic jet capable of breaking the sound barrier without producing a thunderous sonic boom. "Instead, the Quesst will make a much quieter 'thump,' similar to the sound of a car door slamming as heard from indoors," reports Space.com. "If successful, the jet has the potential to revolutionize supersonic flight and aviation in general." From the report: NASA and Lockheed Martin showed off the finished X-59 Quesst ("Quiet SuperSonic Technology") today (Jan. 12) in front of a crowd of nearly 150 at the legendary Lockheed Martin Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California, a research and development site typically known for its secrecy. The elongated beak-like nose section of the aircraft stood out prominently, showing off the fact that it does not have a forward-facing window. [...] Instead, it features what NASA calls the eXternal Vision System, or XVS, which consists of a camera and a cockpit-mounted screen that offers pilots an augmented-reality view of what's in front of the jet. Jim Free, NASA's associate administrator, continued this sentiment, noting that the X-59 is merely the latest in a long line of NASA X-planes that have revolutionized aviation throughout the agency's history. "Even among other X-planes, the X-59 is special. Every aircraft that receives that X-plane designation has a specific purpose to test new technologies or aerodynamic concepts," Free said, "These special planes push the envelope of what's possible in flight. And once they prove those concepts, they often go into museums. And that's really what makes the X-59 different." Free was referring to the fact that once the X-59 is ready for flight, the jet will make multiple flights over select residential areas in the United States in order to collect data on how people on the ground below experience and react to the quieter sonic booms it creates. NASA will then use that data to seek approval for commercial supersonic flights from regulatory agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration, with the ultimate goal of making aviation more sustainable and enabling faster flight over populated areas. Some of the applications of supersonic flight mentioned at today's unveiling include rapid medical response, shorter shipping times and, of course, faster travel. "The first 'A' in NASA stands for aeronautics," said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy during the unveiling ceremony. "And we're all about groundbreaking aerospace innovation. The X-59 proudly continues this legacy, representing the forefront of technology driving aviation forward." The 'X' in NASA's latest X-plane stands for 'experimental.' "This isn't just an airplane, this is an X-plane," Melroy added. "It's the manifestation of a collaborative genius." Read more of this story at Slashdot.

NASA Unveils Revolutionary X-59 'Quiet' Supersonic Aircraft: After years of development, NASA has unveiled the X-59 supersonic jet capable of breaking the sound barrier without producing a thunderous sonic boom. "Instead, the Quesst will make a much quieter 'thump,' similar to the sound of a car door slamming as heard from indoors," reports Space.com. "If successful, the jet has the potential to revolutionize supersonic flight and aviation in general." From the report: NASA and Lockheed Martin showed off the finished X-59 Quesst ("Quiet SuperSonic Technology") today (Jan. 12) in front of a crowd of nearly 150 at the legendary Lockheed Martin Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California, a research and development site typically known for its secrecy. The elongated beak-like nose section of the aircraft stood out prominently, showing off the fact that it does not have a forward-facing window. [...] Instead, it features what NASA calls the eXternal Vision System, or XVS, which consists of a camera and a cockpit-mounted screen that offers pilots an augmented-reality view of what's in front of the jet. Jim Free, NASA's associate administrator, continued this sentiment, noting that the X-59 is merely the latest in a long line of NASA X-planes that have revolutionized aviation throughout the agency's history. "Even among other X-planes, the X-59 is special. Every aircraft that receives that X-plane designation has a specific purpose to test new technologies or aerodynamic concepts," Free said, "These special planes push the envelope of what's possible in flight. And once they prove those concepts, they often go into museums. And that's really what makes the X-59 different." Free was referring to the fact that once the X-59 is ready for flight, the jet will make multiple flights over select residential areas in the United States in order to collect data on how people on the ground below experience and react to the quieter sonic booms it creates. NASA will then use that data to seek approval for commercial supersonic flights from regulatory agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration, with the ultimate goal of making aviation more sustainable and enabling faster flight over populated areas. Some of the applications of supersonic flight mentioned at today's unveiling include rapid medical response, shorter shipping times and, of course, faster travel. "The first 'A' in NASA stands for aeronautics," said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy during the unveiling ceremony. "And we're all about groundbreaking aerospace innovation. The X-59 proudly continues this legacy, representing the forefront of technology driving aviation forward." The 'X' in NASA's latest X-plane stands for 'experimental.' "This isn't just an airplane, this is an X-plane," Melroy added. "It's the manifestation of a collaborative genius." Read more of this story at Slashdot.

NASA unveils OVERFLOW to better predict air taxi performance and noise, Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 05, 2024 NASA's introduction of the OVERFLOW software marks an important moment for the future taxi systems. Developed as part of NASA's Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) mission, OVERFLOW is engineered to precisely predict noise levels and aerodynamic performance, offering air taxi companies a critical tool in the early stages of aircraft design. The importance of noise reduction in urban environments c, : Los

🚀✨ The X-59's groundbreaking design truly showcases NASA's innovation in aviation! The unique blend of technology and environmental consideration sets a new bar for future supersonic flight. Exciting to see how this will reshape aviation standards! 🌍🛩️ #AviationInnovation #NASA #FutureOfFlight NASA's X-59, an experimental supersonic aircraft, features a long nose design and advanced technology to minimize sonic booms. It lacks a forward windshield, using a camera system for pilot visibility. Traditional windows are present but offer limited view due to a canard wing assembly. For external visibility, the X-59 employs dual camera systems, highlighting NASA's innovative approach to tackling the challenges of supersonic flight over land while addressing environmental and regulatory concerns. This design underscores the X-59's role in potentially reshaping future aviation standards.

In this 1965 NASA Flight Reserch Center photo the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV) is shown at near maximum altitude over the south base at Edwards Air Force Base. The LLRV had a General Electric CF-700-2V turbofan engine mounted vertically in gimbals, with 4200 lb of thrust. The engine, using JP-4 fuel, got the vehicle up to the test altitude and was then throttled back to support five-sixths of the vehicle's weight, simulating the reduced gravity of the Moon. Two hydrogen-peroxide lift rockets with thrust that could be varied from 100 to 500 lb handled the LLRV's rate of descent and horizontal translations. Sixteen smaller hydrogen-peroxide rockets, mounted in pairs, gave the pilot control in pitch, yaw, and roll. The pilot's platform extended forward between two legs while an electronics platform, similarly located, extended rearward. Two LLRVs were built by Aerosystems Company. On the day of the first flight, 30 Oct. 1964, NASA research pilot Joe Walker flew it three times for a total of just under 60 seconds, to a peak altitude of approximately 10 feet. By mid-1966 the Flight Research Center had accumulated enough data from the LLRV flight program to give Bell a contract to deliver three Lunar Landing Training Vehicles (LLTVs). As 1966 ended, the LLRV #1 had flown 198 flights, and the LLRV #2 was being assembled, instrumented and cockpit modifications made at the South Base. The first flight of the number two LLRV in early Jan. 1967 was quickly followed by five more. In Dec. 1966 vehicle No. 1 was shipped to Houston, followed by No. 2 in mid Jan. 1967. When Dryden's LLRVs arrived at Houston they joined the first of the LLTVs to eventually make up the five-vehicle training and simulator fleet. All five vehicles were relied on for simulation and training of Moon landings.

Generative AI: The Future of Space Exploration 🚀 AI-Generated Spacecraft Designs: Optimizing fuel consumption, payload capacity, and mission objectives. 🚀 AI-Driven Spacecraft Navigation: Autonomous navigation, reducing reliance on human control and enabling complex missions. 🚀 AI-Powered Space Weather Forecasting: Predicting solar flares and coronal mass ejections to protect satellites and power grids. 🚀 AI-Assisted Space Debris Mitigation: Identifying and tracking debris, developing removal strategies. 🚀 AI-Enabled Space Exploration Robotics: Robots capable of complex tasks like sample collection and terrain mapping. 🚀 AI-Driven Space Tourism: Personalized experiences, custom itineraries, and virtual tours. 🚀 AI-Powered Space Communication: Optimizing networks, improving data transmission speeds and reliability. 🚀 AI-Enhanced Space Telescopes: Analyzing data, leading to discoveries of galaxies, black holes, and celestial objects. 🚀 AI-Driven Space Colonization: Designing habitats, managing resources, and creating sustainable ecosystems. #GenerativeAI #SpaceExploration #AIInnovation #SpaceTechnology #FutureOfSpace