Here’s What We Know About the X-70 Fractal, NASA’s Experimental New Plane

Despite the secrecy, it is possible to get some idea of what the new vehicle is like. First of all, it’s not a spacecraft, meaning it is not designed to reach Earth’s orbit or operate outside the atmosphere. However, this crewed, subsonic aircraft is capable of flying far above commercial jets, reaching altitudes over 45,000 feet, well into the stratosphere. Other specs released include the plane’s max speed of Mach 0.75—about 575 miles per hour—and that it can travel nearly 1,700 miles in a single flight.

According to NASA, the X-70 Fractal will enable research into maneuver capabilities never before demonstrated in crewed aircraft, although the agency has not specified what types of maneuvers it intends to perform.