Boom Technology
American startup supersonic aircraft company From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Boom Technology, Inc. (trade name Boom Supersonic) is an American company designing a supersonic airliner named the Overture.[3] The company is also flight-tested their one-third-scale demonstrator: the Boom XB-1 "Baby Boom".[4] On January 28, 2025, the company broke the sound barrier for the first time with its XB-1 aircraft, which operated from from the Mojave Air and Space Port.[5][1]
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| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace industry |
| Founded | 2014 Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Founders | Blake Scholl Joe Wilding Josh Krall |
| Headquarters | Centennial Airport, Dove Valley, Colorado |
Key people | Blake Scholl (CEO)[1] |
| Products | Supersonic aircraft design |
Number of employees | 150[2] |
| Website | boomsupersonic |
History
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Perspective
The company was founded in Denver in 2014.[6] It participated in a Y Combinator startup incubation program in early 2016, and has been funded by Y Combinator, Sam Altman, Seraph Group, Eight Partners, and others.[7]
In March 2017, $33 million were invested by several venture funds: Continuity Fund, RRE Ventures, Palm Drive Ventures, 8VC and Caffeinated Capital.[8] Boom secured $41 million of total financing by April 2017.[9] In December 2017, Japan Airlines invested $10 million, raising the company capital to $51 million: enough to build the XB-1 “Baby Boom” demonstrator and complete its testing, and to start early design work on the 55-seat airliner.[8] In January 2019, Boom raised a further $100 million, bringing the total to $151 million, then planning the demonstrator first flight for later in 2019.[10][11]
In January 2022, the company announced plans to build a 400,000-square-foot (37,000 m2) manufacturing facility on a 65-acre (260,000 m2) site at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina.[12]
In November 2023, a representative of the NEOM Investment Fund announced their investment in Boom at an undisclosed amount.[13] This follows an announcement by Boom of a "strategic investment" in the company from the fund.[14]
The XB-1 is considered a precursor to Boom's first supersonic commercial airliner.[5] The 64-80 seat aircraft, Overture, will be the first supersonic passenger jet since the British-French Concorde which was retired in 2003.[15][1]
Projects
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Perspective
XB-1 "Baby Boom" demonstrator
The Boom XB-1 "Baby Boom" is a one-third-scale supersonic demonstrator, designed to maintain Mach 2.2, with over 1,000 nautical miles [nmi] (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) of range, and powered by three General Electric J85-15 engines with 4,300 pounds-force [lbf] (19 kN) of thrust.[16] It was rolled out in October 2020.[17] It was expected to be flight tested in 2022,[18] but delays pushed the first flight test to March 22, 2024.[19] During the test flight, the aircraft reached speeds of up to 238 knots (441 km/h; 274 mph) and achieved an altitude of over 7,000 feet (2,100 m).[20] In the test flight on 13 December 2024, the aircraft reached speeds of up to 517 knots (957 km/h; 595 mph) and achieved an altitude of over 27,000 feet (8,200 m).[21]
In the test flight on 28 January 2025, the aircraft broke the sound barrier, reaching speeds up to 650 knots (1,200 km/h; 750 mph) and achieved an altitude of over 35,000 feet (11,000 m).[22] The aircraft became the first privately-funded aircraft to break the sound barrier, reaching a speed of Mach 1.122.[23] The company said XB-1 achieved supersonic flight without generating an audible sonic boom that reached the ground after refining its sonic boom models and improving algorithms for predicting Mach cutoff conditions.[24][25]
Overture airliner
The Boom Overture is an in development Mach 1.7 (1,000 kn; 1,800 km/h; 1,100 mph), 65 to 88-passenger supersonic transport with a planned 4,250 nmi (7,870 km; 4,890 mi) of range.[26] With 500 viable routes, Boom suggests there could be a market for 1,000 supersonic airliners with business class fares.[9] It had gathered 76 commitments by December 2017.[8] It decided to use the delta wing configuration of Concorde[27] and make use of composite materials.[8] It is to be powered by three 15,000–20,000 lbf (67–89 kN) dry turbofan engines.[8]
In January 2021, Boom announced plans to begin Overture test flights in 2027[28] and Boom CEO Blake Scholl "estimates that flights on Overture will be available in 2030."[29]
United Airlines announced in June 2021 that it had signed a deal to purchase 15 Boom Overture aircraft, with an option to buy 35 more.[30][31] American Airlines announced in August 2022 it had agreed to purchase 20 Boom Overture aircraft.[32]
Symphony engine
In December 2022, Boom announced the Symphony, a new propulsion system to be designed for the Overture. Boom will work with three companies to develop Symphony: Florida Turbine Technologies for engine design, GE Additive for additive technology design consulting, and StandardAero for maintenance.[33]
Mach 4 airliner concept
Boom Supersonic is participating in a NASA-led study to develop concept designs and technology roadmaps for a Mach 4 airliner. Boom is part of a team led by Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems, alongside Blue Ridge Research and Consulting and Rolls-Royce North American Technologies.[34]
See also
References
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