Quiet Spike Goes Supersonic

Gulfstream reported that its Quiet Spike sonic-boom mitigator successfully achieved supersonic flight on October 20. The OEM has been flight-testing the structural integrity of its Quiet Spike since mid-July. Mounted on the nose of a NASA F-15B and flown at Mach 1.2, the Quiet Spike operated as designed. It extended to its maximum length of 24 feet and performed as expected during the 1.5-hour test flight. The Quiet Spike is a multi-segmented, articulating shaft that, when fully extended from the nose of a supersonic low-boom shaped aircraft, is expected to reduce the effects of sonic booms.