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NASA will publicly test quiet supersonic technology in November
You won't have to wonder what NASA's quiet supersonic technology sounds like in person -- if you live in the right part of Texas, that is. The administration plans to conduct a series of public tests around the coastal city of Galveston in November. The F/A-18 Hornet aircraft at the heart of the tests will perform dive maneuvers that produce louder sonic booms out at sea, while quieter sonic "thumps" will take place over Galveston proper. After that, "at least" 500… (www.engadget.com) More...
Still a little confused about how an unmodified Hornet is all of a sudden able to create a "quiet" sonic boom. Something with the propagation of the shockwaves, given the dive profile, perhaps? The article is very thin on specifics. Maybe someone with technical knowledge of the test can expound.
Maybe they're using different altitudes to create different distances with more and less attendant attenuation? Different air densities would doubtless have an effect as well.
They're using the F/A-18 as a baseline for 'acceptable' noise levels. Then they will compare that against the X-59 as it's developed.
Those booms would hardly be noticed in my neighborhood (rural). Skeets and 9mm target practice abound.
<i>NASA research pilot Jim “Clue” Less stands next to an F/A-18 that he is flying to help test low-boom flight research. (Source: Maria Werries/NASA)
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