NASA Images Detail Supersonic Shockwave Visualization Written 21 December 2017

The Daily Mail reports that NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in California has captured images of a US Air Force T-38 trainer passing in front of the sun that “revealed how NASA will visualize shockwaves of a future supersonic X-plane it hopes will pave the way for future passenger jets.” The images were made “using a technique called schlieren technology,” and NASA “said it brings them one step closer to being able to visually capture the shockwaves of its future supersonic X-plane, also know as a Low Boom Flight Demonstration aircraft (LBFD).” During the first test flights of the Quiet Supersonic Transport (QueSST), NASA will need “imagery to confirm that the future X-plane’s shockwaves match” agency predictions. Lockheed Martin “has been working on the preliminary design, with hopes to move on to build the demonstrator.” NASA plans to award a contract in 2018, with flight tests beginning in the first quarter of 2021.
More Info (Daily Mail)