In July, Lockheed Martin completed the build of NASA’s X-59 test aircraft, which is designed to turn sonic booms into mere thumps, in the hope of making overland supersonic flight a possibility. Ground tests and a first test flight are planned for later in the year. NASA aims to have enough data to hand over to US regulators in 2027.

  • A quarter billion dollars to build just a prototype and retread the Concorde fiasco with all its attendant environmental destruction. What does this have to do with exploring space, which is what I thought was NASA’s mission?

    • Kraven_the_Hunter@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      1 year ago

      National Aeronautics and Space Administration

      Atmospheric based praise pursuits have always been within their purview. Space just gets all the press.

        • PowerCrazy@lemmy.ml
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          1 year ago

          Why is it striking to you that A government funded by billionaires for billionaires is spending public funds on things that will only benefit billionaires?

      • Stuka@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        You don’t want that unless you want the cost of virtually everything to increase.

        Don’t fuck with the infrastructure that keeps every corner of a country running on a day to day basis.

  • lntl@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    Whose going to be able to afford this? Air fare is already expensive.

    Also, why is NASA doing this with tax dollars?

    Is this stupid or am I stupid and missing something obvious?

    • Meowoem@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      I’m pretty sure one of the A is for aeronautic - it’s kinda what they do, the n is for naughty tho so maybe that’s why?