Boom Technology facts for kids
.svg){kind=logo} |
|
| 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
|
|
| Products | Supersonic aircraft design |
|
Number of employees
|
150 |
Boom Technology, Inc. (trade name Boom Supersonic) is an American company designing a supersonic airliner named the Overture. The company is also flight-testing their one-third-scale demonstrator: the Boom XB-1 Baby Boom. On January 28, 2025, the company broke the sound barrier for the first time with its new XB-1 aircraft, after taking off from the Mojave Air and Space Port.
Contents
History
The company was founded in Denver in 2014. 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.
In March 2017, $33 million were invested by several venture funds: Continuity Fund, RRE Ventures, Palm Drive Ventures, 8VC and Caffeinated Capital. Boom secured $41 million of total financing by April 2017. 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. 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.
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.
In November 2023, a representative of the NEOM Investment Fund announced their investment in Boom at an undisclosed amount. This follows an announcement by Boom of a "strategic investment" in the company from the fund.
In November 2024, Boom Supersonic announced that the XB-1 had completed the eighth out of ten planned subsonic flights. The XB-1 is considered a precursor to Boom's first supersonic commercial airliner. The 64-seat aircraft, Overture, will be the first supersonic passenger jet since the British-French Concorde which was retired in 2003.
Projects
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. It was rolled out in October 2020. It was expected to be flight tested in 2022, but delays pushed the first flight test to March 22, 2024. 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). 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).
Overture airliner
The Boom Overture is a proposed 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. With 500 viable routes, Boom suggests there could be a market for 1,000 supersonic airliners with business class fares. It had gathered 76 commitments by December 2017. It decided to use the delta wing configuration of Concorde and make use of composite materials. It is to be powered by three 15,000–20,000 lbf (67–89 kN) dry turbofan engines.
In January 2021, Boom announced plans to begin Overture test flights in 2026 and Boom CEO Blake Scholl "estimates that flights on Overture will be available in 2030."
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. American Airlines announced in August 2022 it had agreed to purchase 20 Boom Overture aircraft.
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.
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.
See also
In Spanish: Boom Technology para niños
- Supersonic business jet
- Aerion
- Concorde
- Exosonic
- Spike S-512
