Preparations underway at former hypersonic facility where supersonic engine testing will begin by the end of 2025
DENVER, April 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Boom Supersonic, the company building the world’s fastest airliner, Overture, today announced that it has selected a site at the Colorado Air and Space Port in Watkins, CO to conduct engine tests for its Symphony propulsion system. The site was previously used for hypersonic engine development. Symphony, the bespoke engine for Overture, is a medium bypass turbofan optimized for supersonic flight. Boom is investing $3-5 million into the site this year to prepare it for supersonic engine testing, slated to start later this year.
“Symphony is rapidly advancing from concept to reality. By leveraging an existing site, Boom will have the first independently-owned supersonic engine test facility for less than it would have cost to rent a government facility,” said Blake Scholl, Founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic. “By vertically integrating propulsion, we are able to accelerate development, reduce costs, and custom-tailor an engine for Overture—unlocking capabilities like Boomless Cruise.”
The Symphony engine test facility, located in Adams County only 35 miles from Boom’s headquarters, will support this year’s test of Symphony’s prototype core. Measuring 12 feet long and 4 feet in diameter, the core is the high pressure spool of the engine, consisting of the compressor, combustor, and turbine—the most critical components of the first independently-developed supersonic jet engine.
“This is an exciting moment not just for Adams County, but for the future of aerospace innovation in Colorado,” said Lynn Baca, Chair of the Adams County Board of Commissioners. “Boom’s investment in our community puts us at the forefront of the aerospace industry and reflects our shared commitment to advancing next-generation transportation technologies.”
The facility at the Colorado Air and Space Port includes a control room and advanced instrumentation. Data collected from Symphony core tests will allow Boom to refine engineering and manufacturing design for Symphony. Boom expects to expand the site in 2026 to facilitate full-scale testing of the entire Symphony turbofan prototype.
“We are very excited to welcome Boom Supersonic to the Colorado Air and Space Port and to support the development of its revolutionary Symphony engine,” said Jeff Kloska, Director of the Colorado Air and Space Port (CASP). “We look forward to a great partnership with Boom and to advancing our aviation and aerospace ecosystem at CASP.”
The Symphony engine continues to progress rapidly. In March, Symphony passed a key technical review—enabling the manufacturing launch. Multiple parts have already entered the manufacturing phase and engine assembly will start later this year. When the Symphony program moves into production, Boom will leverage the skilled team and facility at StandardAero in San Antonio, TX to build Symphony engines at rate.
Purpose-building and vertically integrating Symphony enables Boom to unlock additional capabilities for Overture, including flying at supersonic speeds without an audible sonic boom on the ground with Boomless Cruise. Symphony features enhanced transonic performance compared to commercially-derived engines, allowing Overture to efficiently accelerate to supersonic speeds at altitudes above 30,000 feet—where Boomless Cruise is possible.
In February, Boom’s XB-1 demonstrator broke the sound barrier six times without creating a sonic boom that was heard on the ground, opening the door to supersonic flight over land onboard Overture with Boomless Cruise. Overture has 130 orders and pre-orders from United Airlines, American Airlines, and Japan Airlines, representing the first five years of production at its Overture Superfactory in Greensboro, North Carolina.
About Boom Supersonic
Boom Supersonic’s mission is to make the world dramatically more accessible through flights that are faster, more affordable, more convenient, and more sustainable.
Boom is developing Overture, the world’s fastest airliner, optimized for speed, safety, and sustainability. Overture will fly at twice the speed of today’s airliners and is optimized to run on up to 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Overture’s order book stands at 130 aircraft, including orders and pre-orders from American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines. Boom is working with Northrop Grumman for government and defense applications of Overture. Suppliers and partners collaborating with Boom on the Overture program include Aernnova, Aciturri, Collins Aerospace, Eaton, Honeywell, Latecoere, Leonardo, Safran Landing Systems, Universal Avionics, and the United States Air Force.
Symphony™ is the purpose-built turbofan engine that will enable supersonic flight. The Boom-developed engine is supported by world-class suppliers including Florida Turbine Technologies (FTT), a Kratos company, Colibrium Additive, and StandardAero.
XB-1 is Boom’s technology demonstrator aircraft and the world’s first independently developed supersonic jet. First taking flight in March 2024, XB-1 completed a series of flight tests in Mojave, CA, culminating in successful supersonic test flights in January and February 2025. For more information, visit https://boomsupersonic.com.
Photos and video available at https://boomsupersonic.com/newsroom/media-assets
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SOURCE Boom Supersonic
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