Watch: First privately built aircraft surpasses speed of sound
What's the story
US-based aerospace start-up, Boom, has successfully broken the sound barrier with its XB-1 demonstrator jet.
The historic event occurred on Tuesday during a test flight from the Mojave Air & Space Port in California.
Notably, this is the first time a civil supersonic jet made in America has shattered the sound barrier.
The flight was piloted by Tristan "Geppetto" Brandenburg, Boom Supersonic's chief test pilot.
Flight details
XB-1 reached an altitude of 35,290 feet
The XB-1 took off early Tuesday, soaring to an impressive altitude of 35,290 feet and hitting a speed of Mach 1.122 or roughly 1,208km/h, according to a press statement from Boom.
This is 0.122 times faster than the speed of sound (Mach 1), marking a major milestone for the supersonic jet.
The test flight was closely followed by two chase planes - a Dassault Mirage F1 fighter jet and a Northrop T-38 Talon.
Historic achievement
XB-1 broke the sound barrier 3 times
Notably, the XB-1 didn't just break the sound barrier once, it did so three times during its flight.
This is a historic moment as it's the first time an independently funded and developed aircraft has broken the sound barrier over mainland US.
The jet went supersonic twice more, some 17 and 22 minutes after takeoff, letting pilots assess its handling performance during supersonic flight.
CEO statement
Boom's CEO hails supersonic flight as technological breakthrough
Boom's founder and CEO, Blake Scholl, hailed the XB-1's supersonic flight as a demonstration of the arrival of technology for passenger supersonic flight.
He praised his team of engineers for achieving what previously required governments and billions of dollars.
The test flight was broadcast live using broadband internet from SpaceX's Starlink satellite constellation, with a Starlink Mini unit installed in T-38, one of the chase planes.
Future plans
Start-up's next step: Commercial supersonic aircraft 'Overture'
The successful test flight of the XB-1 is a part of Boom's larger plan to develop a commercial supersonic aircraft called 'Overture.'
Scholl revealed their ultimate goal is to make the benefits of supersonic flight accessible to all.
The commercial Overture airliners will carry 64-80 passengers at Mach 1.7, nearly double the speed of today's subsonic airliners.
This could cut transatlantic flight times to just about three and a half hours.