NASA's X-59 experimental aircraft is preparing for its second flight, which will set the pace for more flight testing in 2026. NASA test pilot Jim 'Clue' Less will be at the X-59's controls for the second flight, taking off and landing at Edwards Air Force Base, near the X-59's home at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Less will be accompanied by NASA test pilot Nils Larson, who will be flying nearby in a NASA F/A-18 aircraft to observe the X-59.
The X-59 made its first flight on October 28, 2025, with Larson as pilot. After the first flight, NASA and contractor Lockheed Martin completed an extensive round of post-flight maintenance and inspections, which involved removing the engine, a section of the tail known as the lower empennage, the seat, and more than 70 panels to perform inspections, and all have been reinstalled. The team completed one of the last ground tests before the flight on March 12 – an engine run firing up the X-59's modified F-18 Super Hornet F414-GE-100 engine.
The X-59's second flight continues the push toward the next phase, with the team closely studying the aircraft's performance. It marks the start of envelope expansion tests for the X-59. Over the coming months, NASA will take the quiet supersonic jet faster and higher while validating safety and performance, a process known as envelope expansion.
After the aircraft reaches a speed of approximately 230 mph at 12,000 feet and its team performs functional checks, it will advance to 260 mph at 20,000 feet. The first flight was the X-59's biggest leap so far – going from the ground to airborne. 4, at 55,000 feet.
' He added, 'I think I'll mostly be focused on getting the test cards done and getting them done correctly. ' Less also expressed confidence in the team, stating, 'These guys know what they're doing. We couldn't do something like this without a really competent team of hardworking folks.
Nils trusted them for the first flight. ' Ray Castner, NASA's X-59 lead propulsion engineer, noted, 'It's always exciting to see the X-59 come to life on the ground. ' Cathy Bahm, NASA's project manager for the Low Boom Flight Demonstrator project, explained, 'Second flight will look a lot like the first flight.
' The exact date for the second flight has not been announced.