Lockheed Martin X-59 QueSST

The Lockheed Martin X-59 QueSST ("Quiet SuperSonic Technology") is an American experimental supersonic aircraft being developed at Skunk Works for NASA's Low-Boom Flight Demonstrator program.[3] Preliminary design started in February 2016, with the X-59 scheduled for delivery in late 2021 for flight tests from 2022. It is expected to cruise at Mach 1.42 (1,510 km/h; 937 mph) and 55,000 ft (16,800 m), creating a low 75 Perceived Level decibel (PLdB) thump to evaluate supersonic transport acceptability.

"QueSST" redirects here. For QSST, see SAI Quiet Supersonic Transport.
X-59 QueSST
Low-Boom Flight Demonstrator
Role Experimental supersonic aircraft
National origin United States
Manufacturer Lockheed Martin
Built by Lockheed Martin
First flight Planned: 2022[1]
Introduction Planned: 2022[2]
Primary user NASA

Development
A model in a wind tunnel at NASA Langley, September 2017

In February 2016, Lockheed Martin was awarded a preliminary design contract, aiming to fly in the 2020 timeframe.[4] A 9% scale model was to be wind tunnel tested from Mach 0.3 to Mach 1.6 between February and April 2017.[5] The Preliminary design review was to be completed by June 2017.[6] While NASA received three inquiries for its August 2017 request for proposals, Lockheed was the sole bidder.[7]

On April 2, 2018, NASA awarded Lockheed Martin a $247.5 million contract to design, build and deliver in late 2021 the Low-Boom X-plane. On June 26, 2018, the US Air Force informed NASA it had assigned the X-59 QueSST designation to the demonstrator.[8] By October, NASA Langley had completed three weeks of wind tunnel testing of an 8%-scale model, with high AOAs up to 50° and 88° at very low speed, up from 13° in previous tunnel campaigns.[9] Testing was for static stability and control, dynamic forced oscillations, and laser flow visualization, expanding on previous experimental and computational predictions.[10]

From November 5, 2018 NASA was to begin tests over two weeks to gather feedback: up to eight thumps a day at different locations will be monitored by 20 noise sensors and described by 400 residents, receiving a $25 per week compensation. To simulate the thump, an F/A-18 is diving from 50,000 ft to briefly go supersonic for reduced shock waves over Galveston, Texas, an island, and a stronger boom over water.[11] By then, Lockheed Martin had begun milling the first part in Palmdale, California.[12]

In May 2019, the initial major structural parts were loaded in the tooling assembly.[13] In June, assembly was getting underway.[14] The external vision system (XVS) was flight tested on a King Air at NASA Langley.[15] This will be followed by high speed wind tunnel tests to verify inlet performance predictions with a 9.5%-scale model at NASA Glenn Research Center. The critical design review was successfully held on September 9–13, before the IRB report to NASA's Integrated Aviation Systems Program by November.[16] Then, 80-90% of the drawings should be released to engineering.[13] The wing assembly was to be completed in 2020.[14] In December 2020, construction was halfway completed, and first flight was then planned for 2022.[1]

After flight-clearance testing at the Armstrong Flight Research Center, an acoustic validation will include air-to-air Schlieren imaging backlit by the Sun to confirm the shockwave pattern until September 2022.[7] NASA will then flight test it to verify its safety and performance, and to prove the quiet supersonic technology from mid-2022 over U.S. cities to evaluate community responses for regulators, which could enable commercial supersonic travel.[2] Community-response flight tests in 2023-25 will be used for ICAO's Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection meeting (CAEP13) establishing a sonic boom standard in 2025.[7]

Design

The Low-Boom X-plane will be 94 ft (29 m) long with a 29.5 ft (9.0 m) wingspan for a max takeoff weight of 32,300 lb (14,700 kg). Propelled by a single General Electric F414, it should reach Mach 1.5 or 990 mph (1,590 km/h), and cruise at Mach 1.42 or 940 mph (1,510 km/h) at 55,000 ft (16,800 m).[17] The cockpit, ejection seat and canopy come from a Northrop T-38 and the landing gear from an F-16.[7] Its engine will provide 22,000 lbf (98 kN) of thrust.[18]

The ground noise is expected to be around 60 dB(A), about 1/1000 as loud as current supersonic aircraft. This is achieved by using a long, narrow airframe and canards to keep the shock waves from coalescing.[6] It should create a 75 Perceived Level decibel (PLdB) thump on ground, as loud as closing a car door, compared with 105-110 PLdB for the Concorde.[7] The central engine has a top-mounted intake for low boom, but inlet flow distortion due to vortices is a concern.[13]

The long and pointed nose-cone will obstruct all forward vision. The X-59 will use an enhanced flight vision system (EVS), consisting of a forward 4K camera with a 33° by 19° angle of view, which will compensate for the lack of forward visibility.[7][19] United Technologies subsidiary Collins Aerospace was selected to supply its Pro Line Fusion Cockpit avionics, displaying the boom on the ground, and EVS with long-wave infrared sensors.[20] The Collins EVS-3600 multispectral imaging system, beneath the nose, is used for landing, while the NASA external vision system (XVS), in front of the cockpit, is giving a forward view.[13]

See also

Related lists

References
  1. O'Connor, Kate (23 December 2020). "NASA Marks Halfway Point In Supersonic X-Plane Construction". AVweb.
  2. "NASA Awards Contract to Build Quieter Supersonic Aircraft" (Press release). NASA. April 3, 2018.
  3. Gipson, Lillian (8 October 2019). "NASA's Supersonic X-59 QueSST Coming Together at Famed Factory". NASA.
  4. Jim Banke (April 22, 2016). "QueSST - New Era of X-Plane Research". NASA. Archived from the original on February 27, 2017. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
  5. Karen Northon (24 February 2017). "NASA Wind Tunnel Tests X-Plane Design for Quieter Supersonic Jet" (Press release). NASA.
  6. Leigh Giangreco (22 March 2017). "Lockheed and NASA move toward design review for supersonic X-plane". Flightglobal.
  7. Graham Warwick and Guy Norris (Apr 4, 2018). "Lockheed To Build NASA's Low-Boom Supersonic X-Plane". Aviation Week & Space Technology.
  8. Jim Banke (28 June 2018). "NASA's experimental supersonic aircraft now known as X-59 QueSST". NASA.
  9. Graham Warwick (Oct 30, 2018). "NASA Wind-Tunnel Tests Mature Low-Boom X-Plane Design". Aviation Week & Space Technology.
  10. Chad Trautvetter (November 6, 2018). "NASA Spools Up Low-boom Supersonic Research". AIN online.
  11. Graham Warwick (Nov 2, 2018). "NASA To Begin Quiet Supersonic Research Flights In Texas". Aviation Week Network.
  12. Garrett Reim (16 Nov 2018). "Lockheed Martin starts work on X-59 Quiet Supersonic aircraft". Flightglobal.
  13. Guy Norris (Feb 19, 2019). "Final Testing Will Clear Way For Assembly Of Supersonic X-59A". Aviation Week & Space Technology.
  14. Guy Norris (Jun 18, 2019). "Lockheed Martin Begins Assembly Of X-59 Low-Boom Demonstrator". Aviation Week & Space Technology.
  15. Graham Warwick (Sep 23, 2019). "NASA's External Vision System Is Ready For Low-boom Supersonic X-59". Aviation Week & Space Technology.
  16. Graham Warwick (Sep 30, 2019). "The Week In Technology, Sept. 30-Oct. 4, 2019". Aviation Week & Space Technology.
  17. Jim Banke (April 3, 2018). "New NASA X-Plane Construction Begins Now". NASA.
  18. Meredith Bruno (Jun 19, 2018). "Iconic goes supersonic!". GE Aviation.
  19. Trevithick, Joseph (2018-08-23). "NASA's X-59A Quiet Supersonic Test Jet Will Have Zero Forward Visibility For Its Pilot". thedrive.com.
  20. Graham Warwick (Jan 21, 2019). "The Week In Technology, Jan. 21-26, 2019". Aviation Week & Space Technology.
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