Boom Year in Review 2025
It has been a massive year for Boom. XB-1 made history by breaking the sound barrier, paving the way for an executive order changing the future of aviation. And Boom introduced a new product to power AI innovation.
Let’s look back at Boom’s biggest milestones in 2025, propelling us into 2026 and beyond.
XB-1 Achieves Supersonic Flight
On January 28, Boom ushered in a new era of supersonic flight. Flown by Chief Test Pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg, our demonstrator aircraft XB-1 completed its first supersonic flight over the Mojave Desert in California. This marked the first time an independently-developed supersonic jet broke the sound barrier.
“XB-1’s supersonic flight demonstrates that the technology for passenger supersonic flight has arrived.”
Blake Scholl, Founder & CEO
XB-1 made its second and final supersonic flight in February, before being permanently retired to Boom’s Denver headquarters. The historic flights laid the groundwork for Overture, Boom’s commercial jetliner.
WATCH THE FIRST SUPERSONIC FLIGHT
Boomless Cruise
In February, Boom revealed that XB-1’s historic supersonic flights successfully demonstrated our Boomless Cruise technology. The demonstrator aircraft broke the sound barrier six times without generating a sonic boom that reached the ground.
Boomless Cruise is based on a well-known physics concept called Mach cutoff, in which a sonic boom refracts in the atmosphere and never reaches the ground. XB-1 achieved this effect by flying at a high enough altitude at specific speeds, based on atmospheric conditions.
The Executive Order
Just four months after the announcement of Boomless cruise, President Trump issued an executive order that effectively lifted the 52-year ban on civil supersonic flight over the United States. The speed limit in the skies had been in place for over half a century to prevent sonic booms from disrupting life on the ground.
The executive order paves the way for a future where civilian jets can fly at Mach 1 and faster, as long as the aircraft doesn’t produce an audible sonic boom.
First Fire
In October, Boom hit another milestone in the development of our Symphony engine: first fire of our prototype combustor. Propulsion engineers fired up a custom-built combustion rig to test the effectiveness and durability of a prototype fuel nozzle. This marked the first time Boom ignited a full-scale combustion system designed to explore the high-temperature, extreme conditions required for supersonic flight. But first fire isn’t the finish line. Boom engineers have since run dozens of combustion tests on the nozzle, gathering valuable data that will help guide us to the sprint core test later this year.
Superpower Revealed
On December 9, Founder & CEO Blake Scholl revealed Boom’s next chapter: powering the future of AI. In a live interview with CNBC, Scholl introduced the world to Superpower, Boom’s 42-megawatt natural gas turbine designed to power AI data centers.
Built on the same supersonic innovation driving our Symphony engine, Superpower is designed for waterless operation in hot, dry conditions. Crusoe, an energy-first AI infrastructure leader, has placed a 1.21-gigawatt order for 29 Superpower turbines worth $1.25 billion.
Funding the Future
Boom closed a $300 million funding round led by Darsana Capital Partners with participation from Altimeter Capital, ARK Invest, Bessemer Venture Partners, Robinhood Ventures, and Y Combinator. This new funding, along with revenue from Superpower, fully supports development of the Overture supersonic airliner.
Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act Passed
Following the president’s executive order (EO) repealing the overland supersonic flight ban, a U.S. House of Representatives panel passed the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act with a unanimous bipartisan vote on December 18. Authored by Representative Troy Nehls (R-TX) and Representative Sharice Davids (D-KS), the bill codifies the presidential EO and clears the path for the FAA to allow civilian aircraft to fly at speeds of Mach 1 and faster, as long as no sonic boom reaches the ground.
Machining Milestones
2025 was a breakout year on the manufacturing floor. Boom machinists completed four parts for our upcoming sprint core test, bringing the total number of completed parts to 50. We also took delivery of five new CNC machines as well as a wire EDM machine that cuts metal using electrical sparks. We have scheduled delivery of three more machines in 2026, and are preparing to order dozens more.
Do you want to help build supersonic? We’re hiring CNC machinists and more!
Looking ahead, the momentum we built together in 2025 is already pushing us forward in 2026. From proving supersonic flight, to advancing the technologies that will power both faster travel and the world’s growing energy needs, last year set the foundation for major leaps forward this year. We can’t wait to share even more progress in the near future.
Thank you for flying with us, and stay tuned for more!
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