We're One Step Closer to Quiet Supersonic Travel

A supersonic jet plane designed to make very little noise took flight for the first time this week, cruising over the southern California desert just after sunrise in what could be the first step toward much faster commercial travel, according to NASA. NASA and the US weapons and aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Martin successfully tested a jet Tuesday that is capable of traveling faster than the speed of sound. As the AP reports, supersonic jets may seem futuristic, but aircraft have been capable of flying that fast since 1947. The problem is that ultra fast planes are banned for commercial travel over land because they make an explosive—and frightening—"sonic boom" that disturbs the public. More:

• The potential: If NASA and Lockheed Martin can successfully lower the volume, the new jets could slash travel time between places like New York City and Los Angeles roughly in half, opening up an entirely new air travel industry.
• The X-59 jet: It's capable of flying faster than the speed of sound with what Lockheed Martin described as only a "gentle thump." As for the how, Engadget cites design modifications like a jet engine that sits on top of the plane and a super pointy nose.
• Tuesday's test flight: It was still slower than the speed of sound and was intended primarily to test the plane's structural integrity. Still, it was celebrated as a significant step toward the widespread use of supersonic travel. The compact, 100 foot plane launched from the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, about 60 miles north of Los Angeles, coasted over the desert and landed near NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center about 40 miles away.