The Colorado-based company is aiming to build a Concorde-like supersonic aircraft—but has hurdles to clear before realizing that goal.

Boom Supersonic's XB-1 made history on Tuesday by becoming the first civil aircraft to break the sound barrier. Before Tuesday, no civil private manufacturer had passed the sound barrier with an aircraft it had developed.

About 35,000 feet (10,670 meters) over the Mojave Desert, northwest of Los Angeles, Boom Supersonic's XB-1 became the first privately funded airplane to break the sound barrier during a test flight on Tuesday.