Boom Supersonic and Rolls-Royce agree to work on propulsion system for supersonic jet

Boom Supersonic and Rolls-Royce announced Thursday an engagement agreement to explore the pairing of a Rolls-Royce propulsion system with Boom's flagship supersonic passenger aircraft, Overture.

The goal of the new agreement is to work together to identify the propulsion system that would complement Boom's Overture airframe. The teams will investigate whether an existing engine architecture can be adapted for supersonic flight, while Boom's internal team continues to develop the airframe configuration.

"We've had a series of valuable collaborations and co-locations with Rolls-Royce over the past years to lay the groundwork for this next phase of development," said Blake Scholl, Boom founder and CEO.

Both companies recognize that supersonic passenger travel has to be compatible with a net-zero carbon future. Overcoming the technological challenges of supersonic flight provides a unique opportunity to accelerate innovation sustainably.

"We share a strong interest in supersonic flight and in sustainability strategies for aviation with Boom," said Simon Carlisle, Director of Strategy, Rolls-Royce.

Boom announced July 8 that its supersonic demonstrator XB-1 will roll out on Oct. 7.

Rollout of XB-1 supersonic jet set for October

Boom Supersonic, the aerospace company building the world's fastest airliner, announced Wednesday that its supersonic demonstrator, XB-1, will roll out on Oct. 7. In keeping with CDC-recommended social distancing measures, the entire event will be available online and allow attendees an opportunity to submit questions to company leadership.

XB-1 is the world's first independently developed supersonic jet and will demonstrate key technologies for Overture, Boom's commercial airliner, such as advanced carbon fiber composite construction, computer-optimized high-efficiency aerodynamics, and an efficient supersonic propulsion system. XB-1 is the end product of years of development effort, including multiple wind tunnel tests, dozens of structural tests, hundreds of simulation iterations, and tens of thousands of work hours.

"With XB-1, we're demonstrating that we are prepared to bring back supersonic,” said Blake Scholl, Boom founder and CEO. “We're ensuring that the supersonic future is safe and environmentally and economically sustainable. We've learned that the demand for supersonic has grown even faster than we anticipated."

To design and build XB-1, Boom has recruited a team of experts from around the industry, established supplier relationships, and built a strong safety culture. XB-1 is the first aircraft program to announce a 100 percent carbon-neutral flight test program. The company's innovations include one of the highest-efficiency civil supersonic intakes ever tested, demonstrating Boom's ability to deliver a breakthrough in propulsive efficiency for Overture. XB-1 will begin its test program later this year and is slated for first flight in 2021.

Boom's commercial aircraft, Overture, will be the fastest and most sustainable supersonic airliner, flying twice as fast as any commercial airplane today—allowing Boom to bring families, businesses, and cultures closer together through supersonic travel and thus, make the world dramatically more accessible.

The company is hosting a virtual rollout event to give the world a first look at the completed aircraft and hear from the team that designed, built and will test the aircraft. The lead engineers, test pilots and company leadership will explore the technical and design innovations, the flight and handling criteria and how the demonstrator positions the company to build its flagship, Overture.