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Boom test flight: 'New Concorde' prototype jet breaks sound barrier

US company Boom has broken the sound barrier during a test flight of its prototype aircraft XB-1. The test opens the way for the first supersonic passenger jet since the British-French Concorde, which was retired in 2003.

Tuesday 28 January 2025 19:40, UK

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'New Concorde' breaks sound barrier on test flight
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Key points
  • A prototype of a passenger jet meant to succeed Concorde has broken the sound barrier on its first test flight
  • Boom Supersonic tested its XB-1 jet above the Mojave Desert in California 
  • The US company hopes the test flight will demonstrate it has capabilities to be used commercially in a supersonic passenger jet called Overture early next decade
  • During the test, the aircraft reached an altitude of 34,000ft before accelerating to Mach 1.1 speed (770mph) - the speed of sound
  • Watch the test flight as it happened in the video above
Prototype jet breaks sound barrier for first time

A US company's prototype jet has broken the sound barrier in a demonstration it hopes will pave the way for a successor to the Concorde.

Boom Supersonic's XB-1 is the first civilian aircraft to achieve the feat since the British-French supersonic airliner, which was retired in 2003.

The XB-1 broke the sound barrier for the first time over the Mojave Desert in California.

During the test flight, it reached an altitude of 35,000ft before accelerating to Mach 1.1 (844mph) - 10% faster than the speed of sound.