Boom Supersonic and Rolls-Royce Agree on New Collaboration for Overture Engine Program

Jul 30, 2020

Boom Supersonic and Rolls-Royce Agree on New Collaboration for Supersonic Overture Engine Program Design

Engine studies advance program development and focus on sustainability.

DENVER – July 30, 2020 – Boom Supersonic, an aerospace company building the world’s fastest civil aircraft, and leading industrial technology company, Rolls-Royce, today announced 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 engagement will involve teams from Boom and Rolls-Royce collaborating in engine-airframe matching activities for Boom’s flagship supersonic passenger aircraft, Overture. The teams will also examine certain key aspects of the propulsion system. 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. “We look forward to building on the progress and rapport that we’ve already built with our collaboration as we work to refine Overture’s design and bring sustainable supersonic transport to passenger travel.”

The priorities of this engagement are informed by Boom and Rolls-Royce’s shared commitment to sustainability. Both companies recognize that supersonic passenger travel has to be compatible with a net-zero carbon future, and the two teams will work together to address sustainability in Overture design and operations. 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. “We’re now building on our valuable experience in this space as well as our previous work together to further match and refine our engine technology for Boom’s Overture.”

As a result of this collaboration, Boom and Rolls-Royce expect to make significant progress towards finalizing Overture’s aircraft configuration and propulsion system.

About Boom Supersonic

Boom Supersonic is redefining commercial air travel by bringing supersonic flight back to the skies with Overture. This historic commercial airliner is designed and committed to industry-leading standards of speed, safety, and sustainability. Boom’s vision is to bring families, businesses, and cultures closer together through supersonic travel and make the world dramatically more accessible. Boom is the first commercial airplane manufacturer to commit to a carbon-neutral flight test program and to build sustainability into its entire aircraft program. XB-1, Boom’s supersonic demonstrator aircraft for Overture, rolled out in 2020 and its flight test program is underway. The company is backed by world-class investors including Bessemer Venture Partners, Prime Movers Lab and American Express Ventures and has 30 aircraft on pre-order. Founded in 2014, Boom has assembled a team of over 150 full-time employees who have made contributions to over 220 air and spacecraft programs. For more information, please visit https://boomsupersonic.com.

Contacts for the Media

Aubrey Lerche
+1.303.590.5239
press@boomsupersonic.com

Emma Fahy
+44 7552 213555
emma.fahy@rolls-royce.com

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