The X-59 supersonic jet is part of NASA's Quesst mission to demonstrate the potential of supersonic flight absent the iconic sonic boom these aircraft typically produce. Photo by Michael Jackson/Lockheed Martin/
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Feb. 28 (UPI) -- NASA is taking another step closer to testing its new supersonic jet, issuing grants to five universities to develop plans to educate communities selected for flyover tests of the experimental aircraft.
Formally unveiled in January, the X-59 supersonic jet is part of NASA's Quesst mission to demonstrate the potential of supersonic flight absent the iconic sonic boom that such planes typically produce. NASA has said it plans to fly the plane over communities, which will then be surveyed. Those results will be shared with regulators with hopes that the ban on faster-than-sound flights over land will be lifted.
On Tuesday, NASA announced grants of $40,000 have been awarded to Carthage College, Cornell University, Old Dominion University, University of Puerto Rico and University of California, San Diego, to develop plans for engaging with students and educators in the communities NASA will select for the overflights.
The education plans are to ensure communities are informed about the overflight phase of Quesst and what the communities' involvement will look like, it said.
"The Quesst mission is unique at NASA, with community input playing a major part in its success," Eric Miller, deputy mission integration manager for Quesst, said in a statement.
"These new awards will allow NASA to learn from other STEM professionals, informing us as we develop a framework to effectively engage with students and educators."
The X-59 aircraft is expected to produce a muted sonic "thump" instead of a sonic boom as it flys supersonic, according to NASA, which said that once a series of test flights is completed, the plane will fly over yet-to-be selected communities nationwide to gather data on what residents heard.
NASA said the grants will help develop a student-engagement approach that can be exported to any community that is selected for the overflights.
