On September 30, 1946, five engineers from NACA arrived at Muroc Army Airfield in California to conduct the first supersonic flight. Less than two years later, the X-1 broke the sound barrier, marking a major milestone in aviation.
Eighty years later, this site has become NASA’s Armstrong Center, where the X-59, a supersonic aircraft designed to fly without producing a sonic boom, is currently being tested to demonstrate that such flight can be quiet.
The Armstrong Center has also supported historic missions, including space shuttle landings and SR-71 flights, while contributing to future Artemis lunar missions with research aircraft and tests related to the SLS launch vehicle.
Recognized as a center of excellence for flight testing and aeronautical operations by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, Armstrong continues to innovate in collaboration with government agencies, industry, and academia to make flight safer, more autonomous, and more efficient.
The center also plays a key role in collecting scientific data on terrestrial phenomena such as wildfires and glacier melt using specialized aircraft.
This celebration highlights the teams of engineers, pilots, and technicians who continually push the boundaries of aeronautical technology.