Mojave Desert, California

Boom goes Supersonic!

XB-1 flies Mach 1.122 during twelfth test flight

Boom made aviation history on Tuesday (January 28th) when XB-1 broke the sound barrier at 8:31am PST / 16:31 UTC.

After taking off from Mojave Air & Space Port, XB-1 climbed to an altitude of 35,290 ft. before reaching a top speed of Mach 1.122 (652 KTAS).

Chief Test Pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg safely and successfully achieved supersonic speed in XB-1 during a test flight lasting 34 minutes. The flight path traversed the historic Bell X-1 Supersonic Corridor and the Black Mountain Supersonic Corridor over the Mojave Desert.

Boom Supersonic founder and CEO Blake Scholl said, “XB-1’s supersonic flight demonstrates that the technology for passenger supersonic flight has arrived. A small band of talented and dedicated engineers has accomplished what previously took governments and billions of dollars.

"Next, we are scaling up the technology on XB-1 for the Overture supersonic airliner. Our ultimate goal is to bring the benefits of supersonic flight to everyone.”

Historically, supersonic aircraft have been the work of nation states, developed by militaries and governments. XB-1’s supersonic flight marks the first time an independently developed jet has broken the sound barrier.

Following its first flight in March 2024, XB-1 completed a rigorous series of 11 human-piloted test flights under increasingly challenging conditions to evaluate systems and aerodynamics. Throughout the flight test campaign, the XB-1 team systematically expanded the flight envelope through subsonic, transonic, and supersonic speeds - while taking smart risks and prioritizing safety.

"It has been a privilege and a highlight of my career to be a part of the team that achieved this milestone - every single member of this team was critical to our success," said Boom's Chief Test Pilot, Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg.

"Our discipline and methodical approach to this flight test program created the safety culture that made a safe and successful first supersonic flight possible. With the lessons learned from XB-1, we can continue to build the future of supersonic travel.”