It’s been over 20 years since the legendary Concorde last graced the skies, but now, supersonic travel is creeping back onto the horizon. Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 prototype jet just broke the sound barrier for the first time, making it the first civilian aircraft to do so since Concorde’s retirement in 2003.
The test flight took place over California’s Mojave Desert, where the XB-1 reached an altitude of 35,000 feet before hitting Mach 1.1—roughly 844 mph and 10% faster than the speed of sound. If that wasn’t impressive enough, it hit Mach 1.1 two more times, all under the control of Boom’s chief test pilot, Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg.
A live stream of the test flight captured the moment history was made, proving that supersonic passenger travel might not be as far off as we think.
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The Future of Supersonic Travel
Denver-based Boom Supersonic has bigger plans beyond the XB-1. The company hopes this prototype will pave the way for Overture, a supersonic commercial airliner designed to bring back high-speed air travel for passengers.
The Overture, currently in development, is planned to seat between 64 and 80 passengers and travel at speeds of up to Mach 1.7—that’s nearly twice as fast as today’s subsonic jets, though still slightly slower than the Concorde. Airlines are already betting big on this vision, with American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines placing pre-orders for a total of 130 jets.
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What Happened to Concorde?
If supersonic travel was so futuristic, why did Concorde disappear? The British-French airliner was the fastest way to fly, zipping between New York and London or Paris at Mach 2 (1,354 mph) with about 100 passengers on board.
But its downfall came in 2000 when an Air France Concorde tragically crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 109 people on board and four on the ground. The fleet was grounded for a year, and although it resumed service, high operational costs, maintenance challenges, and declining demand after 9/11 sealed its fate. By 2003, Concorde was retired for good.
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Now, Boom Supersonic believes it can succeed where Concorde failed—by making supersonic travel more efficient, accessible, and (hopefully) affordable. With the XB-1 proving its capabilities in the air, the question is: Are we about to enter the golden age of supersonic passenger flights once again?
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