Science, Space and Technology News 2024
NASA’s X-59, seen in this illustration, is designed to fly faster than sound but generate quieter sonic “thumps” rather than booms. To test the public’s perception of this noise, part of the Quesst plan includes flying the X-59 over several communities to survey how people react. Credit: Lockheed Martinis addressing the longstanding ban on civilian supersonic flights over land by developing the X-59 aircraft, which aims to minimize sonic booms to mere “thumps.
NASA’s X-59 is designed to fly faster than sound, but with drastically reduced noise – people below would hear sonic “thumps” rather than booms, if they hear anything at all. To test the public’s perception of this noise, part of the Quesst plan includes flying the X-59 over several communities to survey how people react.
But as the Air Force and Navy began to deploy large numbers of supersonic jets at bases around the nation, interest in sonic booms quickly grew as more of the public became exposed to the often-alarming noise. Two concentrated studies – one over St. Louis in 1961 and the other over Oklahoma City in 1964 – left no doubt the public was not fully supportive of routine sonic booms coming down from above.NASA’s Quesst mission graphic displays stylized supersonic shockwaves encircling the research aircraft, above a community of homes. The imagery highlights the ground-breaking research that will be conducted across several U.S. cities during this mission.
A week later, on June 8, the New York Times published an editorial using the incident in Colorado to underscore the danger sonic booms presented to the nation’s peace and well-being, claiming many are “scared to death of it.” The speed limit created in 1973 didn’t consider the possibility that an airplane could fly supersonic yet did not create sonic booms that could affect anyone below. It was a fair assessment at the time because the technology required to make that happen didn’t exist yet.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
15-Year-Old Arrested for Shooting 13-Year-Old Boy Dead, Wounding 16-Year-Old GirlSource of breaking news and analysis, insightful commentary and original reporting, curated and written specifically for the new generation of independent and conservative thinkers.
Read more »
15-year-old girl charged with murder in Greenwood homicide; 17-year-old boy also charged18-year-old Ethan David was found shot to death in a car in Greenwood on Sunday.
Read more »
Another New Hunger Games Novel Is Coming Next Year, And Its Movie the Year AfterThe fifth book in the series, Sunrise on the Reaping, will be the second prequel in Suzanne Collins' blockbuster YA dystopia, covering the 50th Hunger Games.
Read more »
Today's mortgage rates fall for 15-year terms while 30-year terms hold steadyMortgage rates fluctuate almost daily based on economic conditions. Here are today’s mortgage rates and what you need to know about getting the best rate.
Read more »
North Texas 12-year-old places 2nd at National Spelling Bee, prepping for next yearFaizan Zaki didn't even take one day off after returning home from the Scripps Spelling Bee. His goal is to learn 4,000 words a day during the summer.
Read more »
Today's mortgage rates fall for 30-year terms while 15-year terms hold steadyMortgage rates fluctuate almost daily based on economic conditions. Here are today’s mortgage rates and what you need to know about getting the best rate.
Read more »