Quesst (X-59)

Advanced Air Vehicles Program

Aeronautics Technology

Ames Research Center

Glenn Research Center

High-Speed Flight

NASA Aircraft

Quesst (X-59)

Quesst: The Vehicle

NASA’s X-59 Prepares for Second Flight

NASA’s X-59 experimental aircraft is preparing for its second flight, a step that will set the pace for more flight testing in 2026. Over the coming months, NASA will take the quiet supersonic jet faster and higher, while validating safety and performance, a process known as envelope expansion. NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less will be at the X-59’

Posted March 17, 2026

Quesst (X-59)

Aeronautics

Aeronautics Research

Aeronautics Technology

Science & Research

NASA Invites Media to Learn About Upcoming X-59 Test Flights

NASA will hold a media teleconference at 5:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday, March 19 to highlight plans for its X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft’s upcoming flight tests. The teleconference is set to take place after the X-59 is scheduled to complete its second flight, in California. For the media call, NASA leadership will join representatives from […]

Posted March 16, 2026

Aeronautics

NASA Aircraft

Quesst (X-59)

NASA Chase Aircraft Ensures X-59’s Safety in Flight

As NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft continues a series of flight tests over the California high desert in 2026, its pilot will be flying with a buddy closely looking out for his safety. That colleague will be another test pilot in a separate chase aircraft. His job as chase pilot: keep a careful watch on things as he tracks the […]

Posted January 20, 2026

Aeronautics

Ames Research Center

Flight Demos Capabilities

Glenn Research Center

Quesst (X-59)

NASA Adds Two F-15 Aircraft to Support Supersonic Flight Research

Two retired U.S. Air Force F-15 jets have joined the flight research fleet at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, transitioning from military service to a new role enabling breakthrough advancements in aerospace.

Posted January 15, 2026

Advanced Air Mobility

Airborne Science

Flight Demos Capabilities

Quesst (X-59)

STEM Engagement at NASA

Ultra-Efficient Aviation

NASA Armstrong Advances Flight Research and Innovation in 2025

In 2025, NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, advanced work across aeronautics, Earth science, exploration technologies, and emerging aviation systems, reinforcing its role as one of the agency’s primary test sites for aeronautics research.

Posted December 22, 2025

Aeronautics

Quesst (X-59)

NASA’s Quesst Mission Marks X-59’s Historic First Flight

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft took off for its historic first flight on Oct. 28, 2025, at 11:14 a.m. EDT from Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, California. The one-of-a-kind aircraft flew for 67 minutes before landing and taxiing to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.

Posted November 21, 2025

Quesst (X-59)

X-59 First Flight Media Resources

Media Contact Quesst Media Lead: Kristen Hatfield, 757-817-5522 First Flight Videos First Flight Highlight Reel (1:43) First Flight Extended B-Roll (7:39) Articles NASA’s X-59 Completes First Flight, Prepares for More Flight Testing First Flight Images More X-59 imagery is available in NASA’s Quesst Image Gallery Historical Resources Taxi Test B-R

Posted November 20, 2025

Aeronautics

NASA Aircraft

Quesst (X-59)

Quesst: The Vehicle

NASA’s X-59 Completes First Flight, Prepares for More Flight Testing

After years of design, development, and testing, NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft took to the skies for the first time Oct. 28, marking a historic moment for the field of aeronautics research and the agency’s Quesst mission. The X-59, designed to fly at supersonic speeds and reduce the sound of loud sonic booms to […]

Posted November 20, 2025

Advanced Air Vehicles Program

Aeronautics

Ames Research Center

Glenn Research Center

Quesst (X-59)