4 ms·

No picture in article, had to search.. it has quite an amusingly long nose section: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_X-59_Quesst#Design https://

• rbanffy 3y ago
  She's not a pretty plane. But she'll do the job.
  • HPsquared 3y ago
    To initiate a shock wave, I assume? With the rest of the plane kind of hiding behind it? Reminds me of the bulbous bow on large ships, though probably a bit different. (Still, involves waves and something sticking out the front)
    • KyleBerezin 3y ago
      As I understand it, supersonic aircraft makes 2 major shockwaves, one at the front, and one at the back. If those 2 points are close together, they are experienced from the ground as a loud crack. Since they are farther apart in the x-59, the idea is they will be more of a thump. Also, since the cone is so slender, the initial shockwave is a lot gentler, and every leading edge on the aircraft is gradual for the same reason. Another development that this has, is the bottom is very smooth, with parts like the air intake moved to the top. This makes it quieter from below. If you look up "x-59 wind tunnel" you will see a lot more shock waves on the top than the bottom. If you look close, the engine also has a shroud under the nozzle for the same reason.