The most promising supersonic business jet projects
10 SAI Quiet SuperSonic Transport (QSST)
The X-59 QueSST technology demonstrator, a collaboration between Lockheed Martin and NASA, is scheduled to conduct its maiden flight in early 2022. It is a poster child of the supersonic race and is intended to test the possibility of reducing sonic boom, the very issue that limited the operations of first-generation supersonic airliners. The roots of the X-59 date back to a particular business jet, the QSST, in development by Supersonic Aerospace International (SAI).The company, created by Michael Paulson, the son of Gulfstream founder Allen Paulson, contracted Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works division to develop a 12-seat, Mach 1.8 aircraft which would produce virtually no sonic boom in cruise flight. However, the development was plagued by problems. By 2010 the company had almost disintegrated, only to re-emerge in 2013 with a new project, a larger and sleeker supersonic jet. However, new publicity did not help to generate more funds and the project stalled. On the strength of Lockheed Martin’s work for SAI, NASA selected it to build the X-59.
9 EON nxt-01
Eon Aerospace was founded by South African billionaire and tech entrepreneur, Priven Reddy. In August 2021 he announced the launch of his own aerospace start-up, L.E.A.P., short for Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion. Since then, L.E.A.P. has been quietly renamed Eon, but has retained its ambitious plans. The first product from the company, the nxt-1 is supposed to use quiet sonic boom technology, have the speed of Mach 1.9 and fly at an altitude of 60,000 feet (18,000 meters).
The company also promises to operate with net-zero carbon emissions, develop a bladeless engine for the improved version of the jet and conduct the first service by 2029. The aircraft will have between 65 and 88 seats, which would make it viable for airlines. Nevertheless, just as with any aircraft, it can have a business jet variant. It also promises to feature the same low-boom technology from the X-59 QueSST demonstrator, which would mean that the nxt-01 could fly above land without shattering windows and eardrums with its sonic boom. Whilst Eon’s promises are attractive, the company does not have any experience in aerospace manufacturing and has not demonstrated any achievements besides a host of beautiful 3D renderings of its proposed airliner.
8 Unnamed Russian supersonic jet
Russia had countless projects to build small supersonic commercial aircraft throughout the years. It all started with the proposal to convert the MiG-25 supersonic interceptor for passenger service in the early 1960s. There was the Tupolev Tu-144 and several initiatives in the 1990s and 2000s. But the real start was in 2018 when Russian President Vladimir Putin floated the idea of adapting the Tu-160 strategic bomber for passenger service. As bizarre as that idea was, it prompted Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) to react and produce some viable concepts for a small supersonic jet.
The most recent news is that drone company Kronshtadt is going to manufacture an unmanned technology demonstrator for the project, but neither deadlines nor specifications are clear. It is only known that several variants are being studied, among them an eight-seat business jet and a 30-seat airliner, both capable of flying at Mach 1.8, having the range of up to 8,000 kilometres and featuring an indigenous version of the low-boom design.
While it has been announced that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is interested in collaborating with Russia on the project, its future is unclear. In April 2021, the head of state conglomerate Rostec called the project ‘economically unfeasible’. Rostec actually owns UAC, so, if the parent company does not see much point in pursuing the project, it might follow the fate of dozens of previous supersonic transports proposed in Russia.
7 Unnamed Chinese hypersonic jet
Recently, China has proposed many strange, science fiction-inspired aircraft concepts. Among them is the idea of building a six-seat hypersonic commercial aircraft by 2035. While the development is very secretive, the goal is clear and it has a deadline, the latter being a feature that most other hypersonic proposals lack. China’s recent progress with hypersonics actually lends credibility to this idea and since the development is being conducted by governmentfunded research institutions, it does not have to abide by the ever-present laws of commerce. This means that China might build it despite no promise of profits.
6 Unnamed Virgin Galactic supersonic aircraft
Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic announced its entry into the market in August 2020. The aircraft will carry 19 people at an altitude of 60,000 feet (18,000 meters) and at the speed of Mach 3, the company said. Those numbers look impressive, since most other supersonic business jet projects barely scratch Mach 2 and less. But it is difficult to tell how seriously the company takes this project as no further information has been revealed; no deadlines, no costs, nothing.
Is Virgin Galactic’s project just a way to attract attention?
On the other hand, the company has demonstrated that it can impress, when its Unity flew Branson to the edge of space. Maybe, one day, the supersonic jet project will also take-off.
Lockheed Martin Quiet Supersonic Technology Airliner (QSTA)
The company worked on the X-59 QueSST for the better part of the past decade, gaining knowledge and know-how on quiet supersonic flight technology. After partnerships with SAI and Aerion failed one after another, Lockheed Martin decided to become fully involved on its own. Its own supersonic airliner project was unveiled in 2019 as a 40-seat Mach 1.8 project with a V-tail and a range of 5,200 nautical miles (9,600 kilometres).
By 2023, Lockheed Martin hopes to achieve significant milestones by testing the X-59 and begin designing the QSTA in earnest. The aircraft is going to be somewhat larger than a regular business jet and is one of those projects which aims to operate with regular airlines.
Nevertheless, if successful, it will probably have a business jet variant, especially if Lockheed Martin manages to be one of the first companies to build a commercial supersonic aircraft with low-boom features.