The X-59 is a centerpiece in NASA's strategy to provide data that helps regulators reconsider bans on commercial supersonic flights over land areas. For more than 50 years, these flights have been banned in the United States and several other nations due to the negative impact of sonic booms on communities. However, with the promise of a much softer “sonic thud,” the X-59 could open a new path to supersonic aviation.
Currently, commercial flights are extremely fast compared to the past. If we look back to the 1950s and 1960s, traveling from England to Australia could take almost a week. Today, this trip can be done in less than a day. However, in recent decades, advancement in the speed of commercial aircraft has stagnated, mainly due to the problem of sonic booms.