The level of concern over sonic boom annoyance became so significant that the Federal Aviation Administration prohibited domestic civil supersonic flight over land in 1973. This prohibition helped quiet the skies and reduce potential impacts on the environment. However, it also dashed hopes of introducing supersonic overland passenger service within U.S. airspace during the Concorde era.

 

 

Inside Glenn’s 8- by 6-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel, technician Dan Pitts inspects Boeing’s 1.79% scale model, which shows the two installed flow-through nacelles.

 

Image Credit: NASA/Quentin Schwinn

This view isolates the flow-through inlet used on the Boeing model inside the wind tunnel at NASA Glenn.

 

Image Credit: NASA/Quentin Schwinn

Inside NASA Ames’ 9- by 7-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel, researcher Don Durston inspects the testing stand and subscale model of the Boeing concept.

 

Image Credit: NASA/Dominic Hart

The Lockheed concept model undergoes Phase II testing in NASA Ames’ supersonic wind tunnel. The small dots are “boundary layer trip dots” used by researchers to “trip” the air flow on the model from laminar (smooth) to turbulent—allowing better predictions of airflow and sonic boom characteristics.

 

Image Credit: NASA/Dominic Hart

This rendering shows the Lockheed Martin future supersonic advanced concept featuring two engines under the wings and one on top of the fuselage (not visible in this image).

 

Image Credit: NASA/Lockheed Martin

This rendering shows The Boeing Company’s future supersonic advanced concept featuring two engines above the fuselage.

 

Image Credit: NASA/Boeing