Achieved Supersonic Speed Without Creating a Sonic Boom

Historic Aviation Breakthrough  : Achieved Supersonic Flight Without the Sonic Boom

On 26 Nov, 2003, the plane which was once heralded as the future of aviation, the Concorde, took its final flight to Bristol, UK With sky-high ticket prices and limited routes due its ear-splitting sonic booms, the Concord (and, by extension, the much-anticipated era of supersonic flight) stalled in its infancy. But the dream of faster-than-sound flight remained alive and well, and now, a new supersonic era is ready to take flight, this time without the sonic booms. Boom Supersonic has achieved a ground breaking milestone in aviation by successfully flying its experimental XB-1 aircraft at supersonic speeds without producing the disruptive sonic boom which has long hindered commercial supersonic travel. Following are the some of the important points:-

Boom Supersonic successfully tested its XB-1 aircraft, achieving supersonic flight without a disruptive sonic boom. Boom Supersonic, a commercial aviation company behind the sonic boom-less XB-1, posted an image showing its experimental plane breaking the sound barrier.

During a successful test flight on 10 Feb, 2025, XB-1 used a technique called Mach cutoff to refract shock waves upwards, minimizing noise impact on the ground. when paired with acoustic data gathered from the flight, shows that sonic boom-less supersonic flight is technically feasible.

However, don’t expect to fly supersonic any time soon, as it still remains economically unviable compared to current subsonic commercial flights. 

Boom Supersonic, the company behind the creation of the supposedly sonic boom-less XB-1, released an image captured by NASA showing it’s supersonic creation mid-flight over the Mojave Desert. While the images captured using specialized technique known as Schlieren photography (which visualizes shock waves) shows XB-1 breaking the sound barrier, ground data gathered on the XB-1’s acoustic signature found no evidence of a sonic boom. This development reignites the dream of quiet supersonic travel, potentially transforming long-distance air travel. The dream of faster-than-sound flight once seemed elusive after the Concorde’s retirement. However, Boom Supersonic is reigniting this dream with its innovative XB-1 aircraft, which recently demonstrated its ability to break the sound barrier without producing the infamous sonic boom. This achievement not only marks a significant technological breakthrough but also heralds the potential for a new era of quiet supersonic travel.

“This image makes the invisible visible, the first American made civil supersonic jet breaking the sound barrier,” Boom Supersonic CEO Blake Scholl said in a press statement. “We also confirmed that XB-1 made no audible sonic boom, which paves the way for coast to coast flights up to 50% faster.” On 10 Feb, 2025, Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 aircraft captured the world’s attention by achieving supersonic flight without the disruptive sonic boom. This feat was documented using advanced Schlieren photography techniques, which visualized the shock waves as the aircraft soared above the Mojave Desert. The images, coupled with acoustic data, confirmed the absence of a sonic boom, a key milestone in the pursuit of viable supersonic commercial flights. Blake Scholl, CEO of Boom Supersonic, proudly stated that this achievement paves the way for coast-to-coast flights up to 50% faster than current speeds, marking a new chapter in aviation history.

Sonic booms occur when an object traveling faster than the speed of sound (which, in air at sea level, is around 761 mph) pushes air out of its way and creates air pressure waves we interpret as sound waves. These waves then travel at the speed of sound away from the aircraft and rattle your home if you happen to be in its path, not exactly an ideal situation for commercial aviation. This is why the Concorde’s routes only benefited from its supersonic abilities while flying over oceans. The significance of this accomplishment cannot be overstated. Historically, sonic booms have been a major hindrance to supersonic flight over land due to their disruptive nature. The XB-1’s successful test flight demonstrates the potential for quieter, faster travel which does not compromise the comfort of those on the ground, opening a world of possibilities for future commercial aviation developments. The Concorde managed to circumvent these issues by flying primarily over oceans, where the booms would not disturb populated areas. However, Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 has taken a different approach by utilizing a technique known as “Mach cutoff.” This method leverages the variability of sound speed in the atmosphere, where colder upper atmospheric layers slow down sound propagation, allowing shock waves to be refracted upwards, reducing or eliminating their impact on the ground. This advancement, while technically feasible, requires precise atmospheric data to optimize flight altitudes, ensuring sonic booms are mitigated.

However, temperature and wind also affect these parameters, so the XB-1 relies on hyper-accurate atmospheric forecasts. Then, the aircraft computes the optimal altitude to make use of Mach cutoff, ensuring that the sonic booms never reach the ground. While the technical feasibility of sonic boom-less supersonic flight has been demonstrated, economic viability remains a significant hurdle. Currently, the costs associated with the Mach cutoff method exceed those of traditional subsonic and sonic boom-producing supersonic flights. This economic challenge mirrors the Concorde’s struggle, where high operational costs and ticket prices made it inaccessible to travellers. For supersonic travel to become mainstream, companies like Boom Supersonic must find ways to reduce costs without compromising the technological advancements which make quiet supersonic flight possible. This involves not only refining the technology but also exploring economies of scale, regulatory considerations, and market demand. The potential for flying from New York to Los Angeles in under two hours remains an enticing prospect, but achieving this goal requires overcoming substantial economic barriers.

Currently, the XB-1 flies at only 750 mph, but the company hopes that future planes will cruise at Mach 1.7, or 1,300 miles per hour. New York to Los Angeles in less than two hours. The successful test flight of the XB-1 marks a promising step forward in the realm of supersonic aviation. As Boom Supersonic continues to refine its technology and explore the economic landscape, the dream of widespread supersonic travel remains tantalizingly close. As the aviation industry watches these developments unfold, questions linger about the practical implementation of supersonic travel. Will the technological advancements translate into economic feasibility? Can the industry overcome the challenges which grounded the Concorde? The potential for a new era of fast, quiet travel is on the horizon, but achieving it will require innovation, investment and a keen understanding of both the technical and economic landscapes. But while the successful test flight of XB-1 shows that supersonic flight without sonic booms is technically feasible, the next phase is making it economically feasible. Right now, both subsonic and sonic boom-producing supersonic travel are cheaper than using this Mach cutoff method. The advancements pioneered by Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 herald a new chapter in aviation history, where the dream of supersonic travel is once again a possibility. The future of supersonic travel can be glimpsed on the horizon, but it’s not here yet.