UCCS AIAA Students Experience the Future of Supersonic Flight

Members of the UCCS AIAA Student Chapter traveled to Centennial, Colorado, on August 25 for an open house at Boom Supersonic. The visit offered students an inside look at Boom’s vertically integrated facility and the work being done to advance high-speed flight and power-generation technology.

Students toured the facility, viewed aerospace hardware, and learned how Boom brings engineering, manufacturing, and testing together under one roof. They also heard about the company’s Superpower program and the technical challenges involved in developing new aviation and power technologies.

A highlight of the visit was the opportunity to sit in an XB-1 cockpit display and fly a simulator. XB-1, Boom’s supersonic demonstrator, is described by the company as the first independently developed supersonic jet. The experience showed students how aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, structures, controls, and human factors come together in an advanced aircraft. Learn more about Boom and XB-1.

Students also spoke directly with Boom employees about their work and aerospace career paths, connecting classroom concepts with the decisions, tradeoffs, and teamwork required to develop flight hardware. Several students described the open house as the best facility tour they had ever attended.

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering graduate student Jennifer Bishop reflected on the experience:

“I have had an interest in Boom Supersonic for quite some time, so I was especially excited for the opportunity to tour the facility and connect with people within the company. What stood out most was sitting in the XB-1. I had spent considerable time researching the aircraft while preparing for interviews, but seeing it in person and sitting in the cockpit was an entirely different experience. It reinforced my interest in pursuing a career in propulsion and high-speed aerospace.”

The UCCS AIAA Student Chapter thanks Boom Supersonic for welcoming our students and providing such an engaging experience. Visits like this allow students to see where their engineering education can take them, and may inspire some to help build the next generation of high-speed aircraft.

Submitted by Dr. Lynnane George, UCCS

Students and faculty from the UCCS AIAA Student Club at Boom Aerospace