NASA readies the X-59 for its first supersonic flight, SpaceX's Starship grounded and more science stories
NASA is preparing for the first supersonic flight of its X-59 aircraft, which aims to achieve supersonic speeds without the typical sonic booms. Meanwhile, SpaceX's Starship has been grounded by the FAA following a mishap during its recent test flight. The FAA is overseeing an investigation into the incident, which involved the Super Heavy booster not performing as intended during its return.
- ▪NASA's X-59 is set to conduct its first supersonic flight in early June, reaching speeds over 630 mph at 43,000 feet.
- ▪The FAA has grounded SpaceX's Starship after a mishap during its test flight, which affected the Super Heavy booster.
- ▪SpaceX is required to conduct a mishap investigation, with the FAA overseeing the process.
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Tomorrow NASA readies the X-59 for its first supersonic flight, SpaceX's Starship grounded and more science stories This week’s science news. By Cheyenne MacDonald May 30, 2026 12:30 pm EST NASA/Jim Ross This week, NASA shared more information about its planned moon base missions, Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded on the launchpad and the James Webb Space Telescope spotted a supermassive black hole that researchers say "may have formed within the first second after the big bang." But first, we have updates on NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic research plane and SpaceX's Starship following last week's test flight. Catch up here on this week's science news.
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