Boom Supersonic has achieved a significant milestone in its pursuit of reviving commercial supersonic flight. On Tuesday, the company conducted its first faster-than-sound flight with the XB-1 demonstrator jet reaching speeds of Mach 1.122 over California's Mojave Desert shortly after 8 a.m. This marked the first time a private company built and flew a supersonic jet without government support.
"This accomplishment was achieved by a small band of talented and dedicated engineers," said Boom's founder and CEO, Blake Scholl. "Our ultimate goal is to bring the benefits of supersonic flight to everyone."
Despite this achievement, commercial supersonic flights are still years away, and challenges remain for Boom Supersonic. The XB-1 is designed to test systems for the company's full-size prototype, Overture, which aims to carry 60 to 80 passengers efficiently enough for profitable operation.