Armstrong Flight Research Center

11/11/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 11/11/2026 08:48

Honoring NASA’s X-59 Test Pilots on Veterans Day

Seasoned pilots, aerospace engineers, and U.S. military veterans, NASA's X-59 test pilots bring decades of service, technical expertise, and flight experience to the agency's Quesst mission.

NASA X-59 pilots Jim "Clue" Less and Nils Larson served in the U.S. Air Force, while Mike Lippert served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Today, the three pilots continue that tradition of service by helping NASA advance the future of supersonic flight. Whether flying the X-59, one of its support aircraft, or contributing their engineering and technical expertise to the mission, this team of pilots is working to help change the way we fly.

Happy Veterans Day to Clue, Nils, and Mike, and to all those who served in the U.S. armed forces on NASA's Quesst mission!

Thank you for your service, sacrifice, and continued commitment to advancing the future of flight.

Learn more about the Quesst mission on NASA's site.

Kristen Hatfield

Public Affairs Specialist

Armstrong Flight Research Center published this content on November 11, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on November 11, 2026 at 14:48 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]