THE X-PLANE PROGRAM
BELL X-1 1947[First aircraft to break the sound barrier]
NASA is working on taking the boom out of sonic boom. They have designed an aeroplane which will creates shock waves that a different than previous boom producing planes. The program aims to create a plane which is quieter and more environmentally friendly. They are currently doing designs for QueSST, which is quest supersonic technology. They have tested their theories in wind tunnels but now have plans to produce a plan called the X-Plane for flight testing. The plane will be used to demonstrate the technology, ultimately it will prove that the sound created is acceptable to people on the ground.
BELL X-2 1952
[The Starbuster broke the altitude record flying 24 miles above ground]
NORTH AMERICAN X-15 1959
[First manned hypersonic planes which still holds the record for greatest speed.]
GRUMMAN X-29 1984
[Was made to test the forward-swept wing configuration]
MCDONNELL-DOUGLAS X-36 1997
[unmanned and flight tested by a remote pilot in a virtual cockpit, proving that a tailless fighter jet could have improved maneuverability]
LOCKHEED MARTIN X-35 2000
[This plane won the competition for the joint strike fighter program]
BOEING X-45 2002
[A DARPA project developed for the next generation of unmanned combat air vehicles]
X-57 MAXWELL 2016
[This plane will use new wing geomerty and 14 electric motors to test new methods of energy efficiency]
SEPTEMBER 2017| MANE AEROSPACE, DEFENCE & SPACE | 15