Boom Supersonic XB-1 breaks sound barrier during test flight

Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 aircraft broke the sound barrier for the first time ever on Tuesday, ushering in a new era of supersonic flight.

The jet exceeded Mach 1 after taking off from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California for its highly anticipated 12th test flight.  

That marked the first time the XB-1 demonstrator aircraft, soaring above 34,000 feet, has ever reached the staggering speed. 

Boom Supersonic has described the XB-1 as the “first American civil supersonic jet” and the “foundation” for Overture, the jet that it is building for commercial supersonic flight. The company aims to “bring supersonic to everyone.” 

XB-1 achieved Mach 0.95 during its most-recent test flight on Jan. 10, according to Boom Supersonic.

The demonstrator aircraft “leverages state-of-the-art technologies to enable efficient supersonic flight including digitally-optimized aerodynamics, carbon fiber composites, advanced supersonic engine intakes, and an augmented reality vision system for takeoff and landing visibility,” the company said on its website.