By Dean Murray

A " son of Concorde " that could fly from London to New York in under four hours is preparing for take-off.

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft is undergoing final safety tests before making its first flight .

The aircraft is projected to fly at Mach 1.5, or approximately 990 mph (1,590 kph), meaning it could potentially fly nonstop from the UK capital to the Big Apple in approximately three hours and 44 minutes.

Concorde could reach a maximum cruising speed of Mach 2.04, or 1,354 mph (2,179 kph), which is more than twice the speed of sound. This supersonic speed allowed it to reach New York City in about three hours .

Normal commercial flights generally take around seven to eight hours.

The X-59 aircraft is designed to fly supersonic while generating

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