XB-1 Demonstrates Quiet Supersonic Travel
During its first flight, Boom's demonstrator aircraft, XB-1, broke the sound barrier three times without generating a sonic boom that reached the ground, demonstrating that quiet supersonic travel is possible. Boomless Cruise is based on well-established physics known as Mach cutoff, in which a sonic boom refracts in the atmosphere and never reaches the ground. This effect is achieved by breaking the sound barrier at a high enough altitude, with exact speeds varying based on atmospheric conditions.
Sonic Boom Technology Validation
"XB-1 broke the sound barrier three times during its first supersonic flight—without an audible boom," said Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic. "This confirms what we've long believed: supersonic travel can be affordable, sustainable, and friendly to those onboard and on the ground. With this success, we're bringing Boomless Cruise to Overture, unlocking faster travel on even more routes."
Improved Algorithms and Future Supersonic Travel
Specialised microphone arrays placed in strategic locations under the flight path confirmed that sonic booms did not reach the ground as XB-1 flew at a top speed of Mach 1.12. The data collected during XB-1's multiple supersonic runs allowed Boom Supersonic to validate sonic boom models and improve the algorithms that predict operating in Mach cutoff.
