Researchers from NASA and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) recently conducted important tests on a scale model of the X-59 experimental aircraft in a supersonic wind tunnel located in Chofu, Japan. The purpose of these tests was to assess the noise generated underneath the aircraft when it flies, which is crucial for minimizing the sonic boom impact on the ground.
The X-59 aircraft is uniquely designed to fly faster than the speed of sound without creating a loud sonic boom. Measuring 99.7 feet long with a wingspan of 29.7 feet, the X-59 was tested in JAXA’s wind tunnel using a scaled model that was only 1.62% of the actual size, approximately 19 inches nose-to-tail. The model was subjected to conditions simulating the X-plane’s supersonic cruising speed of Mach 1.4, around 925 miles per hour.
By conducting these tests, NASA researchers were able to collect valuable experimental data to compare with their existing Computational Fluid Dynamics models. This information will be essential in predicting how air flows around the aircraft and determining the noise levels created by the shock waves produced by the X-59 at supersonic speeds. This round of testing at JAXA follows previous tests conducted at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Ohio, further advancing the development of the X-59 aircraft.
Original Source: NASA