Jet Engine Installed on NASA’s Quiet Supersonic X-59

The engine that will power NASA’s quiet supersonic X-59 in flight is installed, marking a major milestone in the experimental aircraft’s journey toward first flight. The installation of the F414-GE-100 engine at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility brings the vehicle close to the completion of its assembly, with NASA targeting flight in 2023. The engine packs 22,000 pounds of propulsion energy, and will power the X-59 in flight at speeds up to Mach 1.4, and altitudes up to 55,000 feet. The X-59 is designed to reduce the intensity of sonic booms, which occur when an aircraft flies at supersonic speeds, or, faster than the speed of sound.