On February 10, in the skies above the Mojave Desert, the Boom Supersonic XB-1 test jet roared past Mach 1, tearing through the sound barrier. But this time, there was no need to take it on faith.

The photograph shows the XB-1 streaking across the sky, its silhouette framed by vivid orange ... a barrier to overland supersonic flights. The Concorde was banned from virtually every country ...