Boeing X-48 Program (2007-2013)
NASA and Boeing flew the X-48, a 20-foot unmanned BWB demonstrator, 122 times at Edwards Air Force Base over six years. The program validated low-speed handling qualities and proved the configuration viable, but Boeing and NASA announced plans for a larger transonic demonstrator that never materialized.
Boeing shelved commercial BWB development, citing lack of airline demand and certification uncertainty.
The X-48 team—Mark Page, Bob Liebeck, Blaine Rawdon—left Boeing and eventually formed the core of JetZero, carrying decades of institutional knowledge to the startup.
JetZero is essentially the X-48 program's commercial successor, led by the same engineers who invented the modern BWB configuration. The startup exists because Boeing chose not to pursue commercial applications.