this post was submitted on 13 Jan 2024
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377
NASA, Lockheed Martin Reveal X-59 Quiet Supersonic Aircraft (www.nasa.gov)
submitted 9 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
84 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

NASA and Lockheed Martin formally debuted the agency’s X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft Friday. Using this one-of-a-kind experimental airplane, NASA aims to

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 9 months ago (8 children)

Guys, check out the cockpit.

I know technology is wildly advanced and he probably has a 360 view now, but other than test pilots, who are you going to get to fly a plane that lacks a forward view?

[–] [email protected] 13 points 9 months ago

With that huge honker of a nose, it’s not like you’d see much anyway. Entire cities could hide behind that

[–] [email protected] 11 points 9 months ago (1 children)

One of the material issues with supersonic is friction heat buildup. Probably can't have a front windshield at that speed.

Cameras and instrumentation will do just fine tho

[–] [email protected] 8 points 9 months ago (1 children)

The heat is from compression, not friction. And besides that, this thing is only flying at mach 1.5, there are TONS of aircraft that fly at those speeds (and much faster) with windshields.

The reason it doesn't have a front windshield is because the change in shape of the aircraft at the windshield, to be more vertical, was disrupting their method of reducing the sonic boom. The aircraft needs the shape it has, so a windshield would have to be like 20 feet long to offer any forward visibility.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

Neat. Thanks for the info!

[–] [email protected] 9 points 9 months ago

Looks like there's a forward facing camera.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

No instruments, just a microphone to talk to ChatGPT.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

Basically Stealth IRL.

BTW, fucking coolest, most underrated movie ever IMO

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago

but other than test pilots, who are you going to get to fly a plane that lacks a forward view?

This plane will only be flown by test pilots. Its a technology demonstrator. Researchers build one of these to test concepts in physics in the real world.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

laughs in P-51 mustang

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

With that speed you aren't able to react to anything visible in the flightpath anyway 💨

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

It's not supersonic during landing or taxing, which I guess is when a direct view would be more useful.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

I wasn't serious.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

You know planes fly at night yeah, when you can't see things

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

Oh of course. Landing might not be fun though.