NASA Wants to Take the Blast Out of Sonic Booms

coondoggie writes to tell us that NASA and JAXA (the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) have announced a partnership to study the sonic boom. Hoping to find the key to the next generation of supersonic aircraft, the research will include a look at JAXA's "Silent Supersonic Technology Demonstration Program." "The change in air pressure associated with a sonic boom is only a few pounds per square foot -- about the same pressure change experienced riding an elevator down two or three floors. It is the rate of change, the sudden onset of the pressure change, that makes the sonic boom audible, NASA said. All aircraft generate two cones, at the nose and at the tail. They are usually of similar strength and the time interval between the two as they reach the ground is primarily dependent on the size of the aircraft and its altitude. Most people on the ground cannot distinguish between the two and they are usually heard as a single sonic boom. Sonic booms created by vehicles the size and mass of the space shuttle are very distinguishable and two distinct booms are easily heard."

Comments

Re:Why NASA?

[DriedClexler]

Well, there are *civilian* uses for not having a loud sonic boom, like, being able to fly one of those things over populated areas.

But it certainly sounds like mission creep for JAXA, which is supposed to be more focused on Gundam-style robots.

Re:Go home and be a family man.

[pablomme]

But Guile didn't really yell "Sonic Boom". At that sample rate it sounded more like "Phonic Poo". You'll have to wait for an article about phonic poo to repost your comment.

Re:The Right Stuff

[philspear]

Were you making some type of joke about vaporware and the low boiling point of alchohol, or are you saying booze is vaporware? Because belive me, it's made it to production. Like thousands of years ago. I'm drunk off my ass rright now.

Re:I think that rocket planes are the way to go

[Red Flayer]

One ballistic impulse of 7 km / sec or so to get up above the atmosphere and on your way is...

a great way to make your jaw come out your ass?

Fine for sturdy cargo, but your common slob (such as myself) could NOT withstand that kind of acceleration. You'd have to make people pass physical fitness tests for insurance purposes... plus you'd have to distribute protective codpieces so that your male passengers wouldn't be scraping their balls off their shoes.