NASA moves a step closer to supersonic passenger flights | CNN
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A new study by NASA’s Glenn Research Center has looked at the possibility of supersonic passenger jets. Its “high-speed strategy” is mooting commercial flights that travel at up to Mach 4 – over 3,000 miles per hour – starting with transoceanic routes.

In July, Lockheed Martin completed the build of NASA’s X-59 test aircraft, which is designed to turn sonic booms into mere thumps, in the hope of making overland supersonic flight a possibility. Ground tests and a first test flight are planned for later in the year. NASA aims to have enough data to hand over to US regulators in 2027.

  • keeb420
    3•9 months ago

    will it reduce the air pressure difference on the ground? i was in a building and it moved. i felt it. sound is only one problem.

    Overpressure
    Sonic booms are measured in pounds per square foot
    of overpressure. This is the amount of the increase
    over the normal atmospheric pressure which surrounds
    us (2,116 psf/14.7 psi).
    At one pound overpressure, no damage to structures
    would be expected.
    Overpressures of 1 to 2 pounds are produced by
    supersonic aircraft flying at normal operating altitudes. Some public reaction could be expected between 1.5 and 2 pounds.
    Rare minor damage may occur with 2 to 5 pounds
    overpressure.
    As overpressure increases, the likelihood of structural
    damage and stronger public reaction also increases.
    Tests, however, have shown that structures in good
    condition have been undamaged by overpressures of
    up to 11 pounds.
    Sonic booms produced by aircraft flying supersonic at
    altitudes of less than 100 feet, creating between 20 and
    144 pounds overpressure, have been experienced by
    humans without injury.
    Damage to eardrums can be expected when overpressures reach 720 pounds. Overpressures of 2160
    pounds would have to be generated to produce lung
    damage.

    https://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/pdf/120274main_FS-016-DFRC.pdf