Nasa's X-59 space plane, capable of flying faster than the speed of sound without the loud boom that comes with supersonic flight, is finally nearing completion.

The plane will be the first large scale, piloted X-plane that Nasa has launched in more than 30 years when it is finally put together.

It could also herald a new era in fast space travel, as it attempts to overcome the problems that have blighted previous attempts like Concorde. Normally, supersonic planes create a loud boom when they reach the speed of sound and have as a result been banned from flying over populated areas – but the creators of the X-59 claim it will be almost silent.

And the space agency has announced that it is cleared for final assembly and "integration of its systems" after being looked over by senior managers.

The plane – which has the full name X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology (QueSST) – is being put together by Lockheed Martin, which will now work to complete it ahead of testing.