On October 24, 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom recognized the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works X-59 as the ‘Coolest Thing Made in California.’ The announcement was made in Sacramento. Newsom noted California’s history of creativity and technology. The X-59 was developed at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility in Palmdale. It is designed to reduce the noise of supersonic flight, producing a quieter ‘thump’ instead of a sonic boom. The project is a result of a ten-year partnership between Lockheed Martin and NASA. The goal is to gather data that could support future commercial supersonic flights over land.
The ‘Coolest Thing Made in California’ contest was organized by the California Manufacturing & Technology Association. It received over 200,000 votes in four rounds. Other finalists included Siemens’ Amtrak Airo Trainset from Sacramento, Phillips 66’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel from Rodeo, and Saildrone’s Voyager from Alameda. The contest took place during Manufacturing Month in October. It aims to highlight the state’s manufacturing sector and its role in the economy.
California’s manufacturing industry employs more than 1.24 million people in over 45,000 businesses. In 2024, the state exported $155.2 billion in manufactured goods. These include aerospace parts, technology devices, and pharmaceuticals. The aerospace and defense sector is significant, with California hosting about one-third of the nation’s space technology companies…