Boom Supersonic has set a new speed record for its XB-1 prototype aircraft while confirming the stability of its design at high speeds for subsonic flight. The successful test puts us one step closer to seeing the return of commercial supersonic flights — 21 years after Concorde retired.
On Nov. 5, the XB-1 hit 629 mph (1,012 km/hr) for the first time — equivalent to Mach 0.82, where Mach 1.0 is the speed of sound. Marking its seventh test flight, this 55-minute mission also reached a new flight ceiling of 23,015 feet (7,015 meters) and confirmed the safety of its cockpit pressurization systems.
