How Does NASA Study Supersonic Flight?
NASA studies supersonic flight in three ways. NASA researchers can simulate supersonic flight by using small models of aircraft in wind tunnel experiments. Wind tunnels are tube-shaped facilities that move air over a vehicle as if it were flying. They help researchers to learn more about how an aircraft will fly and to test new designs. Researchers also fly actual supersonic aircraft that have been modified for research experiments. NASA has been involved in supersonic flight experiments since the 1940s. NASA partners with the U.S. Air Force or U.S. Navy and aircraft manufacturers to build experimental aircraft. These aircraft are called X-planes because the aircraft are used for experiments. The “X” in X-planes comes from the letter “x” in the word “experiments.” X-planes test new designs and new technologies to improve flight. In 1947 the first X-plane, called X-1, was the first aircraft to break the sound barrier. Nine years later, in 1956, the X-2 became the first aircraft to reach
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