this post was submitted on 13 Jan 2024
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NASA and Lockheed Martin formally debuted the agency’s X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft Friday. Using this one-of-a-kind experimental airplane, NASA aims to

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[–] [email protected] 52 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Looks like 1950s retro futurism version of a jet

[–] [email protected] 42 points 10 months ago (1 children)

In the future people will even be able to play chess with someone across the world, and even order a pizza to their door on the telephone.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 10 months ago (1 children)

and even order a pizza to their door on the telephone.

While living on the moon. (50s futurists aimed high.)

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago (2 children)

If we hadn't wasted all our time and resources on wars and luxury yachts we probably would be

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[–] [email protected] 47 points 10 months ago (1 children)

You can't fool me. That's an H type Nubian yacht from star wars.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Shut the fuck up! Now Vader, he's a spiritual brother, with the force and all that shit. Then this cracker Skywalker gets his hands on a lightsaber, and the boy decides he's goinna run the fucking universe - gets a whole Klan of whites together, and they're gonna bust up Vader's 'hood - the Death Star. Now what the fuck do you call that?

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[–] [email protected] 39 points 10 months ago (1 children)

If they are taking about an "X-59" it's because the classified tests on the "X-109" went well.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 36 points 10 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago (2 children)

I can't even find the existence of the name, which would be quite unusual.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 16 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Just mentioning that a G-15 classified project is classified as such, is a serious crime. I will report to the authorities before they.... Someone is already at my door!

[–] [email protected] 9 points 10 months ago
[–] [email protected] 12 points 10 months ago

That woosh definitely made a sonic boom

[–] [email protected] 28 points 10 months ago (1 children)

"NASA aims to gather data that could revolutionize air travel, paving the way for a new generation of commercial aircraft that can travel faster than the speed of sound."

[–] [email protected] 24 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (3 children)

I think that is definitely just a cover because they don't want to admit they're actually developing supersonic stealth planes for the military.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 10 months ago

I think that is definitely just a cover because they don't want to admit ~~they're~~ they've actually ~~developing~~ developed supersonic stealth planes for the military.

Ftfy

What they reveal openly is usually from years ago. A couple aerospace friends are always like "yea, we heard scuttlebut about that about 5 years ago, so that means it was already a thing 10 years ago*, haha.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 10 months ago

Well hiding the giant boom is probably a good stepping stone to that so yeah

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[–] [email protected] 25 points 10 months ago

This appears to be designed for taking out zeppelins

[–] [email protected] 17 points 10 months ago

Looks like something you will see in Ace Combat.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 10 months ago (11 children)

Guys, check out the cockpit.

I know technology is wildly advanced and he probably has a 360 view now, but other than test pilots, who are you going to get to fly a plane that lacks a forward view?

[–] [email protected] 13 points 10 months ago (1 children)

One of the material issues with supersonic is friction heat buildup. Probably can't have a front windshield at that speed.

Cameras and instrumentation will do just fine tho

[–] [email protected] 10 points 10 months ago (1 children)

The heat is from compression, not friction. And besides that, this thing is only flying at mach 1.5, there are TONS of aircraft that fly at those speeds (and much faster) with windshields.

The reason it doesn't have a front windshield is because the change in shape of the aircraft at the windshield, to be more vertical, was disrupting their method of reducing the sonic boom. The aircraft needs the shape it has, so a windshield would have to be like 20 feet long to offer any forward visibility.

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 10 months ago

With that huge honker of a nose, it’s not like you’d see much anyway. Entire cities could hide behind that

[–] [email protected] 9 points 10 months ago

Looks like there's a forward facing camera.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago

but other than test pilots, who are you going to get to fly a plane that lacks a forward view?

This plane will only be flown by test pilots. Its a technology demonstrator. Researchers build one of these to test concepts in physics in the real world.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago (1 children)

No instruments, just a microphone to talk to ChatGPT.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 10 months ago (3 children)

“Across both teams, talented, dedicated, and passionate scientists, engineers, and production artisans have collaborated to develop and produce this aircraft,” said John Clark, vice president and general manager at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works.

What the hell is a production artisan?

[–] [email protected] 20 points 10 months ago (5 children)

Someone with the skills and knowledge to "manually" produce some of the many one-off parts that went into this prototype.

The scientists and engineers may know what kind of part is needed, but it takes a different skillset to produce it.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 10 months ago

Flying hypodermic needle.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 44 points 10 months ago (11 children)

The Sonic Boom will sound more like your neighbours car door closing than an explosion

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago

But does the snoot droop

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago

Yep. Yes. Ahuh... According to my notes this is what we needed...

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Reminds me of a pterosaur somehow.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 10 months ago

Considering that splitting supersonic shockwaves in the air is kind of analogous to splitting the water when plunge-diving for fish (which at least some pterosaurids are hypothesized to have done), that makes sense.

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