NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft - dubbed a 'Son of Concorde' - is edging closer to its historic first flight after completing final safety checks

An image depicting an advanced aircraft with sleek aerodynamic design, featuring a prominent fuselage and wing configuration, is

NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft is currently undergoing final safety checks (Image: undefined)

A widely-touted 'successor to Concorde' capable of completing the London to New York route in less than four hours is inching closer to its maiden flight.

NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft is currently undergoing final safety evaluations ahead of its landmark inaugural journey. The aircraft is expected to achieve Mach 1.5, approximately 990 mph (1,590 kph), meaning it could potentially complete a nonstop transatlantic crossing from the UK capital to the Big Apple in roughly three hours and 44 minutes.

Concorde boasted a maximum cruising speed of Mach 2.04, or 1,354 mph (2,179 kph), more than twice the speed of sound, which allowed it to touch down in New York City in approximately three hours. It comes after China's chilling new tailless warplanes were seen flying over a highway.

The X-59 has been designed to fly at supersonic speeds while producing a quiet thump rather than a deafening sonic boom — a persistent noise issue that has long made such aircraft unsuitable for flight over heavily populated regions.

An advanced military aircraft is undergoing refueling on a runway as the sun sets in the background, with personnel in protectiv

NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft is completing final safety checks ahead of its inaugural flight (Image: SWNS)

Two individuals in protective suits and helmets are walking on a runway, with a large airplane positioned in the background.

The aircraft is expected to reach Mach 1.5, roughly 990 mph (Image: SWNS)

The jet is presently being put through its paces at the U.S. Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, where safety systems are currently being evaluated.

Its debut flight will feature a lower-altitude loop at around 240 mph to verify system integration, signaling the start of a flight-testing phase centered on confirming the aircraft's airworthiness and overall safety credentials.

In upcoming test flights, the X-59 will ascend to higher altitudes and build up speed, ultimately surpassing the sound barrier.

NASA Armstrong announced on September 12: "As NASA's one-of-a-kind X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft approaches first flight, its team is mapping every step from taxi and takeoff to cruising and landing - and their decision-making is guided by safety."