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Supersonic Flight Without The Sonic Boom
fname writes "Here's a story from Spaceflight Now about a new test aircraft that can travel at supersonic speeds without triggering a sonic boom. The technology works by modifying the shape of the plane. Although it's been believed to be possible for a long time, this is the first actual flight test, barring black box projects I suppose."
Most countires (including the U.S.) have banned overland supersondic flight due to noise problems.
Not having a sonic boom will open the door for over-land civilian supersonic flight.
Just think. Los Angeles to New York in 3 hours.
The noise problem is one of the major reasons supersonic passenger aircraft never took off. The Concorde, for example, is simply not allowed to fly to most potential destinations, due to the noise levels.
And, well, yes, not using up energy to produce an impressive bang certainly improves energy use somewhat; that is not the reason for this developmen, though.
Trust the Computer. The Computer is your friend.
Ever wonder why the Concord only flew at supersonic speeds over water, and not land? Because they couldn't - it's too disruptive. A supersonic craft without a sonic boom would enable flight over land.