NASA Aeronautics

10/21/2026

🏆 A historic flight. A prestigious honor.

NASA's X-59 lead pilot Nils Larson recently received the Iven C. Kincheloe Award from the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, recognizing his role in the aircraft's historic first flight and safely expanding its flight envelope to Mach 1.4 at 55,000 feet.

✈️ Larson is the first to receive this award for a NASA test flight project in 44 years!

His contributions are helping advance NASA's Quesst mission to enable quieter supersonic flight over land.

Learn more: https://go.nasa.gov/4Bf4M2F

10/20/2026

🧊✈️ What happens when water droplets freeze on an aircraft in flight?

A rare aviation hazard known as supercooled large droplet icing occurs when unusually large, below-freezing water droplets remain liquid in clouds but rapidly freeze when they encounter aircraft surfaces, potentially beyond conventional ice protection systems.

At NASA's Glenn Research Center, researchers are testing new instruments in the Icing Research Tunnel to better measure these droplets and help the aviation industry understand this challenging icing phenomenon.

Learn how NASA is advancing research to improve aviation safety:

NASA is leveraging its expertise and enhancing its test facilities to help address a rare but persistent aviation hazard: icing that occurs when aircraft

10/16/2026

Headfirst into aircraft maintenance! ✈️🔧

What does it take to keep NASA’s X-59 flying? Sometimes, it means diving headfirst into the aircraft’s engine inlet!

At NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center, a technician performs a procedure known as “duct diving,” inspecting engine components for potential damage or debris that could affect performance.

Go behind the scenes of the hands-on work helping keep NASA’s quiet supersonic aircraft ready for flight:
https://go.nasa.gov/4i53crl

10/05/2026

✈️ What happens when a lifelong passion for building and flying model aircraft becomes a career at NASA?

At NASA Armstrong’s Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory, Derek Abramson, Justin Hall, and Justin Link put that passion to work—testing new technologies and concepts with remotely piloted and autonomous aircraft.

See how passion meets precision at NASA: https://go.nasa.gov/4rOqjup

10/02/2026

✈️ This week marked 80 years of flight innovation at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center!

From the X-1 breaking the sound barrier to space shuttle landings, SR-71 flights, and today’s X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft, NASA Armstrong has spent eight decades pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in flight.

Take a look back at 80 years of groundbreaking flight research — and what’s ahead: https://go.nasa.gov/4z07K8W

10/02/2026

✈️ Six flights. One week. Fastest speed to date.

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft just completed its busiest week of flight testing yet, with six flights and a new top speed of Mach 1.53 — approximately 1,010 mph — its fastest speed to date. 💨

The rapid pace is helping the team expand the aircraft’s flight envelope and learn how it performs across a range of speeds, altitudes and maneuvers.

See what the X-59 accomplished during its record-setting week: https://go.nasa.gov/47t5ETs

10/02/2026

🎓 Success Story: University of Nevada, Reno

Check out this unexpected impact. ✈️

NASA's University Leadership Initiative sparked the launch of a new Aerospace Engineering program. The student’s successful research on advanced simulations and testing for airborne systems built real momentum with funding partners. Now the stage is set to take aerospace innovation to the next level. 🚀

Explore their story and see how universities across the country are helping shape the future of flight. ✈️ https://go.nasa.gov/4jkw4OD

09/24/2026

✈️ Safer runways. Smarter routing. Smoother flights.

NASA-developed technologies are helping modernize commercial aviation from gate to sky to arrival.

Smoother skies ahead✈️

NASA is developing technologies that are modernizing and digitizing the commercial flying experience, from the departure to the sky to the arrival. Learn more: https://go.nasa.gov/4ryS9uS

09/16/2026

08/27/2026

What happens after the X-59 goes supersonic? ✈️

NASA’s X-59 reached a major milestone on June 5, 2026, completing its first supersonic flight! Hear what’s next for the quiet supersonic aircraft in the latest episode of the Small Steps, Giant Leaps podcast.

🎧🔗go.nasa.gov/4xiUCvk