Does the space shuttle emit a sonic boom at launch when it goes supersonic?
The orbiter, upon reentry, emits a sonic boom when it goes subsonic. Does it do the same upon launch when going supersonic?
The orbiter, upon reentry, emits a sonic boom when it goes subsonic. Does it do the same upon launch when going supersonic?
Oh, YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anytime a moving object breaks the speed of sound (aprox, 700 MPH) there is a sonic boom. Lightening is that fast, therefore THUNDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
oh yea you bet it does
It does indeed emit a sonic boom, however one of the other answers here may be misleading.
The speed of sound changes depending on the local environment. So, the speed of sound at a high altitude is much lower than at low altitude. This is why the speed of sound is measured in Mach number.
Mach one is the local speed of sound. A mach number is the ratio of the aircraft’s speed to the local speed of sound. So, mach one at a high altitude is a slower speed than Mach one at or near sea level.
Also, one of the other answers stated that thunder is caused by a sonic boom. This is not the case. Thunder is caused by the collision of very hot gases (produced by the lightning) with surrounding cooler gases, as well as electrodynamic effects witnessed within the plasma channel of a lighting bolt.
Oh yeah! If you’re watching from the NASA guest observation area, right about the time you’re thinking — Wow! That’s awesome, but I thought it would be louder — the boom hits you.
Yes, but it is lost in the noise of the boosters and main engines.
It certainly does. Sonic booms occur when an object with mass goes faster that the speed of sound. The space shuttle goes many times faster than the speed of sound, and thus emits sonic booms.
yes… but you cannot hear it because the sound of the engines and the solid rocket boosters drown it out… it occurs at about 45 seconds into launch
Is a pig’s butt pork? Yes it is, and there is a sonic boom.
Yes, it sure does. Like the other answers have mentioned, it is mostly drowned out by the boosters and main engines, but also since shock waves are propagated radially to the direction of travel, the sonic boom mostly goes out into the air for no one to hear. Think of a cone coming off the shuttle and extending behind it. Although parts of it hit the ocean because of the shuttle’s trajectory is not purely vertical.
No one answered, but a sonic boom occurs when landing too.
the sonic boom on the shuttle is actually visible
Any object transiting the sound barrel will emit a sonic boom.