Boom’s Supersonic Test Plane Breaks The Sound Barrier For The First Time

Ten months aft its long-delayed first subsonic statement took spot past March, Boom Supersonic’s prototype proceedings plane, nan XB-1, collapsed nan sound obstruction coming 3 times during its twelfth flight. The XB-1 is simply a smaller-scale objection type of nan larger Overture airliner Boom wants to yet build that will proscription 64 passengers connected supersonic world flights astatine cruising speeds of up to Mach 1.7, akin to activity that nan Concorde offered earlier it retired successful 2003.

After taking disconnected from nan Mojave Air & Space Port successful California, Boom’s main proceedings pilot, Tristan Brandenburg, flew nan XB-1 to an altitude of 34,000 feet earlier hitting a apical velocity of Mach 1.1 (around 844 mph) for astir 4 minutes. Today’s statement is not only nan first clip Boom’s demonstrator trade collapsed nan velocity of sound, it’s too nan first clip a civilian trade has gone supersonic. The Concorde was built arsenic a associated task betwixt nan governments of nan UK and France, not a backstage company.

The XB-1 collapsed nan sound obstruction 2 further times during its return and descent. Today’s proceedings statement took spot successful airspace known arsenic nan Bell X-1 Supersonic Corridor (named aft nan first level ever to break nan sound barrier) and lasted almost 34 minutes. The 63-foot-long level is powered by 3 General Electric J85-15 turbojet engines, but nan institution plans to create and build nan 4 engines needed to powerfulness nan larger Overture airliner connected its ain aft Boom’s business pinch Rolls Royce ended successful 2022.

During its first proceedings statement connected March 22, 2024 — primitively scheduled to return spot successful 2021 — nan XB-1 achieved a apical velocity of conscionable 283 mph. The astir caller proceedings statement took spot earlier this twelvemonth connected January 10th, 2025, erstwhile Brandenburg deed a apical velocity of Mach 0.95 and an altitude of 29,481 feet.

Although its first successful supersonic statement is simply a milestone for Boom Supersonic, there’s still a batch of betterment and proceedings flights needed for nan institution to execute its existent extremity of Overture taking its first statement by 2030. As of May 2024, nan institution has raised complete $700 cardinal and has sold 15 supersonic trade to United Airlines (with nan action to bargain 35 more) and 20 to American Airlines.