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NASA’s X-59 Aircraft and Test Pilot

NASA test pilot Mike Lippert poses for a photo ahead of his first time flying the agency’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft on Oct. 21, 2026. The X-59…

Author not supplied · Published 26 Oct 2026, 15:54 · Updated 26 Oct 2026, 15:54

Source: NASA View source

NASA’s X-59 Aircraft and Test Pilot — Credit: NASA · NASA material is generally not copyrighted; items carrying a third-party or copyright credit are excluded. The NASA logo and insignia are never reused.

NASANASA/Carla Escamilla NASA test pilot Mike Lippert poses for a photo ahead of his first time flying the agency’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft on Oct. 21, 2026. The X-59 has flown numerous times since its inaugural flight in November 2025; its first supersonic flight was on June 5, 2026. Lippert took off from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, and landed one hour later. The flight came after scheduled maintenance and a review of the X-59’s systems following the aircraft’s busiest week of testing to date. Read more about Lippert and the Oct. 21 flight. Image credit: NASA/Carla Escamilla