Boom Technology Explained

Boom Technology, Inc.
Type:Private
Industry:Aerospace industry
Key People:Blake Scholl (CEO)
Products:Supersonic aircraft
Num Employees:150[1]
Founders:Blake Scholl
Joe Wilding
Josh Krall
Foundation:
Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Location:Centennial, Colorado

Boom Technology, Inc. (trade name Boom Supersonic) is an American company developing the Overture, a supersonic airliner. It has also flight tested a one-third-scale demonstrator, the Boom XB-1, which broke the sound barrier for the first time on January 28, 2025, during a flight from the Mojave Air and Space Port.[2] [3] [4] [5]

History

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, Paul Graham, Alex Gerko, Michael Moritz, Bessemer Venture Partners, Seraph Group, and others.[7] [8]

In March 2017, $33 million was invested by several venture funds: Continuity Fund, RRE Ventures, Palm Drive Ventures, 8VC and Caffeinated Capital.[9] Boom secured $43 million of total financing by April 2017.[10] In 2017, Japan Airlines invested $10 million, as part of a Series B fundraising round that brought the company capital to $156 million by 2020: enough to build the XB-1 demonstrator and complete its testing, and to start early design work on the 60-80-seat airliner.[9] [11] As of 2025, the company has raised over $600 million in investor funding.[12]

In January 2022, the company announced plans to build a 400000square feet manufacturing facility on a 65acres site at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina.[13] Construction on the facility, named the Overture Superfactory, was completed in June 2024.[14]

In November 2023, a representative of the NEOM Investment Fund announced their investment in Boom at an undisclosed amount.[15] This follows an announcement by Boom of a "strategic investment" in the company from the fund.[16]

If completed, the 60- to 80-seat aircraft, Overture, would be the first supersonic passenger jet since the British-French Concorde which was retired in 2003.[17]

Projects

XB-1 demonstrator

See main article: Boom XB-1.

The Boom XB-1 is a one-third-scale supersonic demonstrator, designed to fly up to Mach 1.3, and powered by three General Electric J85-15 engines with a total of 12900lk=onNaNlk=on of thrust.[18] It was rolled out in October 2020.[19] It was expected to be flight tested in 2022,[20] but delays pushed the first flight test to March 22, 2024.[21] During the first test flight, the aircraft reached speeds of up to and achieved an altitude of over .[22] In the ninth test flight on 13 December 2024, the aircraft reached speeds of up to Mach 0.87 or and achieved an altitude of over .[23]

During the twelfth test flight on 28 January 2025, the aircraft broke the sound barrier three times, reaching speeds up to Mach 1.122, or approximately and achieved an altitude of over .[24] The aircraft became the first privately funded aircraft to break the sound barrier, reaching a speed of Mach 1.122.[25] 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.[26] [27] XB-1’s final flight on 10 February 2025 consisted of three more supersonic runs, reaching a top speed of Mach 1.18, or and an altitude of over . During this flight, Boom partnered with NASA to capture a Schlieren image showing the shock waves resulting from XB-1 pushing through the air at supersonic speeds.[28]

Overture airliner

See main article: Boom Overture.

The Boom Overture is a proposed supersonic transport designed to achieve an airspeed of, accommodate 60 to 80 passengers and a planned range of 4250nmi.[29] Boom said there could be a market for over 1,000 supersonic airliners, and suggests airlines could charge business or first class fares.[10] It decided to use the delta wing configuration of Concorde[30] and make use of composite materials.[9] It is to be powered by four 40000lk=onNaNlk=on medium bypass turbofan engines.[31]

In January 2021, Boom announced plans to begin Overture test flights in 2027[32] and Boom CEO Blake Scholl "estimates that flights on Overture will be available in 2030."[33]

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.[34] [35] American Airlines announced in August 2022 it had agreed to purchase 20 Boom Overture aircraft.[36] Boom’s orders and pre-orders total 130 aircraft from airlines including United Airlines, American Airlines, and Japan Airlines. 

Symphony engine

See main article: Boom Symphony.

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, Colibrium Additive for additive technology design consulting, and StandardAero for maintenance.[37] In April 2025, Boom acquired a former Reaction Engines hypersonic test facility at Colorado Air and Space Port, to serve as the dedicated test site for the Symphony engine.[38]

Mach 4 airliner concept

Boom Supersonic participated in a NASA-led study to develop concept designs and technology roadmaps for a Mach 4 airliner. Boom was part of a team led by Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems, alongside Blue Ridge Research and Consulting and Rolls-Royce North American Technologies.[39]

Superpower natural gas turbine

Introduced in December 2025, Superpower is a 42-megawatt (MW) natural gas turbine based on the Symphony engine utilized in the Overture supersonic airliner.[40] This turbine is designed to power AI data centers. It is also intended to generate revenue for Boom while collecting operational data for the Symphony engine.[41] The Superpower maintains a consistent output of 42 MW even at temperatures of up to 110°F (43°C) without derating.[42] It operates without cooling water, fits within an ISO-container-sized enclosure, and shares 80% of its components with the Symphony.[43] Crusoe Energy, an AI infrastructure company collaborating with OpenAI on initiatives such as the Stargate data center, placed an order for 29 units, totaling 1.21 GW, as part of a $1.25 billion backlog.[44] The Superpower is expected to be delivered to Crusoe Energy in 2027.[45]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Boom Supersonic . live . June 5, 2021 . www.owler.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20210502092123/https://www.owler.com/company/boomsupersonic . 2021-05-02.
  2. Web site: Prisco . Jacopo . 2023-08-03 . Boom wants supersonic plane travel for everyone — but can it deliver? . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230819010529/https://www.cnn.com/travel/boom-supersonic-ambitions-scn/index.html . 2023-08-19 . 2023-08-19 . CNN . en.
  3. Web site: Rogoway . Joseph Trevithick, Thomas Newdick, Tyler . 2020-10-07 . Boom Rolls Out Its XB-1 "Baby Boom" Supersonic Demonstrator Jet . 2023-08-19 . The Drive . en.
  4. Web site: O'Hare . Maureen . 2025-01-28 . Boom: America's answer to Concorde prepares for first supersonic flight . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20250129015151/https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/28/travel/boom-supersonic-first-flight-break-sound-barrier-mach-1/index.html . 2025-01-29 . 2025-01-28 . CNN . en.
  5. Web site: Batchelor . Tom . 2025-02-05 . Boom's Overture to be airborne in 'four years' . 2025-02-06 . AGN . en-en.
  6. News: This Aerospace Company Wants to Bring Supersonic Civilian Travel Back . 21 March 2016 . subscription . Ashlee . Vance . Ashlee Vance . Bloomberg . 2017-09-06 . 2017-03-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170906062140/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-21/this-aerospace-company-wants-to-bring-supersonic-civilian-travel-back . live .
  7. News: This Startup Is Developing Supersonic Planes for Virgin Group . 23 March 2016 . Kia . Kokalitcheva . . 7 August 2017 . 24 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170807072719/http://fortune.com/2016/03/23/boom-supersonic-virgin-deal/ . live .
  8. Web site: Hill . David . December 18, 2024 . Boom Supersonic founder touts raising $100M from donors including new round of funding OpenAI CEO, LinkedIn co-founder . 2025-07-30 . www.bizjournals.com.
  9. News: JAL invests heavily in supersonic Boom . 5 Dec 2017 . Stephen Trimble . Flightglobal . 9 March 2019 . 5 December 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190309190819/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/analysis-jal-invests-heavily-in-supersonic-boom-443857/ . live .
  10. News: Boom CEO sees market for 1,000 supersonic passenger jets by 2035 . May 3, 2017 . Aaron Karp . Air Transport World . Aviation Week . January 27, 2019 . May 4, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190127201611/http://atwonline.com/technology/boom-ceo-sees-market-1000-supersonic-passenger-jets-2035 . live .
  11. Web site: Boom - Overture . 2025-07-30 . Boom . en-US.
  12. Web site: Sider . Sharon Terlep and Alison . New York to Paris in Under Four Hours? Inside the Effort to Build the Next Concorde . 2025-07-30 . WSJ . en-US.
  13. Web site: Niles . Russ . Boom Picks Greensboro For Factory . AVweb . 2 February 2022 . 31 January 2022 . 14 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220214195516/https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/boom-picks-greensboro-for-factory/ . live .
  14. News: 2024-06-17 . Boom Supersonic completes construction of Overture Superfactory at PTI in Greensboro . https://web.archive.org/web/20250309090533/https://myfox8.com/news/north-carolina/greensboro/boom-supersonic-completes-construction-of-overture-superfactory-at-pti-in-greensboro/ . 2025-03-09 . 2025-07-30 . FOX8 WGHP . en-US.
  15. Web site: Saudi Arabia invests in Supersonic Passenger Aircraft Industry Mohammed AlQahtani posted on the topic LinkedIn . 2023-11-15 . www.linkedin.com . en.
  16. Web site: 2023-11-09 . Boom - News - Boom Supersonic Announces New Aircraft, Engine, and Investment Milestones . 2023-11-15 . Boom . en-US . 2023-11-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231115101540/https://boomsupersonic.com/press-release/boom-supersonic-announces-new-aircraft-engine-and-investment-milestones . live .
  17. Web site: Mike Wall . 2025-01-28 . Boom Supersonic to break sound barrier during historic test flight today: Watch live . 2025-01-28 . Space.com . en-US . 2025-01-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20250128054831/https://www.space.com/space-exploration/tech/boom-supersonic-to-break-sound-barrier-during-historic-test-flight-today-watch-live . live .
  18. News: Boom Focuses On Derivative Engines For Supersonic Airliner Plan . Jul 10, 2018 . Guy Norris . Aviation Week & Space Technology.
  19. Boom Supersonic to Roll Out Historic XB-1 Demonstrator Oct. 7 . Boom Supersonic . Jul 8, 2020 . December 24, 2020 . January 31, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131070405/https://boom-press-assets.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Boom_Rollout_Announcement.pdf . live .
  20. News: Hemmerdinger . Jon . First flight of Boom's XB-1 demonstrator could happen next year . Flight Global . 27 April 2021 . 8 November 2021 . 7 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211108094627/https://www.flightglobal.com/airframers/first-flight-of-booms-xb-1-demonstrator-could-happen-next-year-ceo/143485.article . live .
  21. Scholl . Blake . How I Built This -Transcript . https://web.archive.org/web/20230311211629/https://steno.ai/how-i-built-this-with-guy/hibt-lab-boom-supersonic-blake-scholl . 2023-03-11 . February 23, 2023 . 29:06 . March 11, 2023. " We're going to take it down to the Mojave Desert for flight test probably around the middle of this year."
  22. News: 2024-04-08 . In a world first, Boom's XB-1 supersonic jet soars in test flight . 2024-06-23 . The Times of India . 0971-8257 . 2024-06-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240623094022/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/in-a-world-first-booms-xb-1-supersonic-jet-soars-in-test-flight/articleshow/109117973.cms . live .
  23. News: 2024-12-13 . XB-1 Flight 9 . 2024-12-16 . Boom Supersonic . 2024-10-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241009094046/https://boomsupersonic.com/flyby/xb-1-live-blog-flight-test-program#flight-9 . live .
  24. News: 2025-01-28 . Boom Achieves Supersonic Flight . 2025-01-29 . Boom Supersonic .
  25. Web site: Berger . Eric . 2025-01-28 . For the first time, a privately developed aircraft has flown faster than sound . 2025-02-03 . Ars Technica . en-US.
  26. Web site: Hsu . Jeremy . February 10, 2025 . How the XB-1 aircraft went supersonic without a sonic boom . New Scientist.
  27. Web site: Varley . Len . February 11, 2025 . Breaking the Sound Barrier, Quietly: Boom Supersonic's 'Boomless' Breakthrough . Aviation Source News.
  28. Web site: O'Hare . Maureen . 2025-03-03 . Incredible NASA photo captures sound barrier being broken . 2025-08-13 . CNN . en.
  29. Web site: Overture . Boom Supersonic . June 4, 2021 . July 23, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220723215232/https://boomsupersonic.com/overture . live .
  30. News: Will Boom succeed where Concorde failed? . Leeham News . Bjorn Fehrm . November 17, 2016 . June 5, 2021 . November 17, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210605072912/https://leehamnews.com/2016/11/17/will-boom-succeed-concorde-failed/ . live .
  31. Web site: Boom Confirms Engine Thrust Growth, Core Part Build Accelerates Aviation Week Network . 2025-08-13 . aviationweek.com.
  32. News: Supersonic Aircraft Can Now Be Tested Over Land, FAA Rules . Robb Report . Michael Verdon . January 14, 2021 . April 11, 2021 . February 12, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210411123952/https://robbreport.com/motors/aviation/supersonic-aircraft-boost-feds-1234591221/ . live .
  33. News: Reinventing Flight: An Interview with Blake Scholl . Hersey . Jon . . 15 . 4 . 9 . Glen Allen Press . October 7, 2020 . July 8, 2021 . January 5, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210708061825/https://theobjectivestandard.com/2020/10/reinventing-flight-an-interview-with-blake-scholl/ . live .
  34. Web site: United plans supersonic passenger flights by 2029 . Chris . Fox . June 5, 2021 . BBC . June 8, 2021 . February 8, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220208163751/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-57361193 . live .
  35. Web site: United Bets on Supersonic Future With $3 Billion Boom Jet Order . Justin . Bachman . Jun 3, 2021 . Bloomberg . 2021-06-08 . 2022-02-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220221115330/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-06-03/united-bets-on-supersonic-future-with-3-billion-boom-jet-order . live .
  36. Web site: LeBeau . Phil . 2022-08-16 . American Airlines agrees to buy 20 supersonic planes from Boom . 2022-08-16 . CNBC . en . 2022-08-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220816160528/https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/16/american-airlines-agrees-to-buy-20-supersonic-planes-from-boom.html . live .
  37. Web site: Boom Supersonic Finally Picks Engine Provider, and It's Not Who You Think . Rob . Pegoraro . 2022-12-13 . PCMAG . en . 2022-12-17 . 2024-09-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240914190754/https://www.pcmag.com/news/boom-supersonic-finally-picks-engine-provider-and-its-not-who-you-think . live .
  38. Web site: Charpentreau . Clement . 2025-04-27 . Boom Supersonic secures site for Symphony engine testing . 2025-05-14 . www.aerotime.aero . en-US.
  39. Web site: Is a Mach 4 Passenger Jet Possible? NASA, Industry Explore Idea - NASA . NASA . 11 October 2023 . 22 August 2023.
  40. Web site: Boom's Supersonic Symphony Engine Superpower Turbine . Aerospace Global News . December 10, 2025 . December 11, 2025.
  41. Web site: Boom Supersonic's engine could turn data center heat into power . New Atlas . December 10, 2025 . December 11, 2025.
  42. Web site: Boom Supersonic unveils 42 MW gas turbines to power AI data centers . Gas Processing News . December 10, 2025 . December 11, 2025.
  43. Web site: Boom's Supersonic Engine Core Finds New Market Powering AI Data Centers . AeroTime . December 10, 2025 . December 11, 2025.
  44. Web site: Crusoe orders 121GW of natural gas turbines from prototype airliner co Boom Supersonic . Data Center Dynamics . December 10, 2025 . December 11, 2025.
  45. Web site: Supersonic airline outfit Boom unveils turbine for AI data centers. Tom's Hardware. December 11, 2025. December 11, 2025.

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