“There are three barriers particular to civil supersonic flight; sonic boom, high altitude emissions and airport noise. Of the three, boom is the most significant problem,” said Peter Coen, manager of NASA’s High Speed Project with the agency’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate’s Fundamental Aeronautics Program.
There’s a fourth barrier not mentioned: the low L/D, which restricts range and makes for high fuel costs. If that problem doesn’t get solved, it will never become a huge market, and will mostly be restricted to business jets.
John Walker reviews a new Kindle edition of Gerard O’Neill’s classic book. It’s free right now, if you’re an Amazon Prime member. Sales support the Space Studies Institute, I think.
Starts in forty minutes or so. This is sort of like the Apollo days, when the news networks would go live to the spacecraft. There’s a lot more to see at ISS.
right now, if you’re an Amazon Prime member. Sales support the Space Studies Institute, I think.