The XB-1’s carbon-composite frame (for added heat-resistance) measures 71 feet long, with a delta wing shake that, the company says, has been optimized for maximum efficiency. It’s powered by a trio of General Electric J85-15 engines, rated to provide more than 12,000 pounds of thrust. The J85 is a warhorse engine that has been powering craft since the 1950s, including the supersonic T-38 Talon training plane. Boom says that the engine has been tweaked to improve its efficiency, important given the company’s focus on a carbon-neutral test program.

Boom has looked to lean on new manufacturing methods