PALMDALE, Calif. -NASA’s quiet supersonic X-59 research aircraft has cleared electromagnetic testing, confirming its systems will work together safely, without interference across a range of scenarios, Nicolas Cholula writes for NASA.
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The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
27 February 2025 - “Reaching this phase shows that the aircraft integration is advancing,” said Yohan Lin, NASA’s X-59 avionics lead. “It’s exciting to see the progress, knowing we’ve cleared a major hurdle that moves us closer to X-59’s first flight.”
Electromagnetic interference (EMI) occurs when an electric or magnetic field source disrupts an aircraft’s operations, potentially affecting safety. This interference, whether external or from the aircraft’s own systems, can disrupt electronic signals controlling critical functions—similar to how a nearby device can cause static on a radio.
Engineers at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works’ Palmdale, California, facility tested the X-59’s onboard systems, including radios, navigation, and sensors, to ensure they functioned without interference. Each system was activated individually while potential disruptions were monitored.
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Jamie Whitney, Senior Editor
Military + Aerospace Electronics
