NASA and Lockheed Martin have completed three engine run tests of the X-59 aircraft for its planned 2025 first flight under the agency’s Quesst program mainly addressing the noise pollution of supersonic flights. The performance of the plane’s modified F414-GE-100 engine met expectations during the tests conducted from October to January at Lockheed’s Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California, NASA said Tuesday.

Engine Response Checks

One of the tests involved the aircraft’s hydraulics, electrical and environmental control systems, with the engine powered up but idling. Throttle checks were also performed to bring full power to the aircraft and maximum thrust from its afterburner. The third test checked engine reaction to swift throttle snaps to validate the engine’s instantaneous response.

According to Raymond Castner, X-59 propulsion lead at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, ground tests on the aircraft’s engine “have successfully progressed” as planned. 

“We were getting smooth and steady airflow as predicted from wind tunnel testing. We didn’t have any structural or excessive vibration issues. And parts of the engine and aircraft that needed cooling were getting it,” Castner said.

Additional Pre-Flight Testing

Further tests before the X-59’s maiden flight include an evaluation of the potential electromagnetic interference of the aircraft. X-59 taxi tests will also be conducted as part of the preparations for the first flight.

Lockheed introduced the X-59 concept at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Aviation Forum in June 2019 and booked a five-year, $40 million NASA contract for the experimental aircraft in December 2020. The X-59 was formally unveiled in a rollout ceremony in January 2024 and passed a flight readiness review in May, transitioning its development to the airworthiness and flight safety tests.

Congressman Ken Calvert of California’s 41st Congressional District has introduced the Space Infrastructure Act, which directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate space systems, services and technology as a sector of critical infrastructure. 

Protecting the Nation by Protecting Space-Based Systems

In a press release released Monday, Calvert said the H.R. 1154 aims to protect the United States’ space systems by officially declaring them as critical infrastructure. According to the representative, the nation relies heavily on space-based systems for communication, navigation, banking and other critical systems. The bill ensures the country’s domestic and national security space infrastructure is safeguarded from emerging threats.

The co-sponsors of the bill include Reps. Salud Carbajal, Brian Fitzpatrick and Ted Lieu, who is co-chair of the Congressional Aerospace Caucus along with Calvert.

Congressional Perspectives

“The Space Infrastructure Act designates our space systems as critical infrastructure and takes appropriate measures to protect them,” said Calvert. “As our economy and essential communication systems become increasingly reliant on the support of space-based systems and services, we must act accordingly to increase the safeguards that shield them from any potential threats.”

“From navigation systems to banking to communications systems – space is infrastructure,” stated Lieu. “To ensure this sector receives the necessary attention and resources, we must designate space as critical infrastructure.”

“I’m proud to be part of bipartisan legislation that ensures assessments of our nation’s critical sectors reflect the role that space infrastructure has in our homes, our commerce, and our national security,” added Carbajal.

“The bipartisan Space Infrastructure Act is a crucial step in ensuring the resilience and security of our nation’s space assets by requiring the Department of Homeland Security to formally designate our space systems and technologies as integral components of our national infrastructure,” remarked Fitzpatrick.