What tools did we need to design the X-59?

NASA scientists use a lot of technology to explore the science of sound and discover ways to reduce aircraft noise.

Schlieren

Schlieren photography was invented by the German physicist August Toepler in 1864 to study supersonic motion.

NASA scientists use it to "see" the pressure waves caused by a flying aircraft pushing air molecules out of the way.

One of the greatest challenges of the flight series was timing. In order to acquire this image, originally monochromatic and shown here as a colorized composite image, NASA flew a B-200, outfitted with an updated imaging system, at around 30,000 feet while the pair of T-38s were required to not only remain in formation, but to fly at supersonic speeds at the precise moment they were directly beneath the B-200. The images were captured as a result of all three aircraft being in the exact right place at the exact right time designated by NASA’s operations team.
Schlieren image of intersecting shockwaves from two jets flying at supersonic speed.

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Wind Tunnel

Scientists use wind tunnels to test how models of aircraft will perform in flight.

Tests of scale models like this one in a supersonic wind tunnel at NASA's Ames Research Center help researchers understand the forces acting on the aircraft that create sonic booms.
Engineers built and tested several models of the X-59 before choosing its final design.

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CFD

CFD, or Computational Fluid Dynamics, is a type of computer modeling researchers use to show where air molecules are pushed out of the way by a moving aircraft and generate noise. These models can help engineers pinpoint the best places to alter an aircraft's design in order to reduce noise.

CFD simulations of the X-plane in flight require accurate modeling of both the aircraft and the flow field that occurs in its vicinity.
The color red shows where the most sound is produced by an aircraft.

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Public Perception

Scientists also need to know how people respond to aircraft noise,
including the quieter "sonic thump" produced by the X-59.

Graphic showing how Mach is calculated. The X-59 will fly at Mach 1.4. Ratio = Object Speed divided by Speed of Sound = Mach Number. Subsonic Mach < 1.0; Transonic Mach = 1.0; Supersonic Mach = > 1.0; Hypersonic Mach = 5.0
Graphic showing how Mach is calculated. The X-59 will fly at Mach 1.4. Ratio = Object Speed divided by Speed of Sound = Mach Number. Subsonic Mach < 1.0; Transonic Mach = 1.0; Supersonic Mach = > 1.0; Hypersonic Mach = 5.0