Shaped Sonic Boom

Photograph by Ensign John Gay, USS Constellation, US Navy

Contact Info Al Bowers Research Engineering Aerodynamics 661-276-3716 Al.Bowers@nasa.gov

Sonic flight over land is an area of research that could have a significant effect on the general public, supporting efficient flight from coast to coast. NASA-Dryden and DARPA are interested in research that addresses an aircraft design that would change the distribution of shocks that result in a sonic boom, preventing them from coalescing. The result should be a significantly quieter sonic-boom sounding more like the distant rumble of thunder.

Related Resources

• Fixing What Yeager Broke: Reducing Sonic Booms - NASA Feature Article
  
• Dryden F-15B Supports F-5 Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstration - Dryden Flight Research Center News Release
  
• Boom! Dryden assists Northrop in sonic boom research - Dryden Flight Research Center XPress News Release
  
• Laboratory Study of Effects of Sonic Boom Shaping on Subjective Loudness and Acceptability - Langley Research Center Technical Paper
  
• A Loudness Calculation Procedure Applied to Shaped Sonic Booms - Langley Research Center Technical Paper

Keywords

Aircraft design; Aircraft performance; Boundary layer; Ground effect; Hypersonic flight; Sonic boom; Supersonic flight; Supersonic transport

Last Modified: November 8, 2004
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