Given that the ramjet and scram jet engines could achieve hypersonic flight, is sonic boom the major impediment to passenger hypersonic flight today? If so, why is it that space shuttles could travel at speeds in the regions of Mach 25. How did they deal with sonic boom in relation to noise pollution on the ground what was so unique about their design given that there were many space shuttle fights.
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asked Aug 10, 2017 at 13:14
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$\begingroup$ also, note that Mach, through the speed of sound, is a function of temperature: the Shuttle was travelling at M25 where the temperature (and thus the speed of sound) was lower, giving a higher Mach number for the same airspeed. $\endgroup$– FedericoCommented Aug 10, 2017 at 13:35
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$\begingroup$ The space shuttles kept most of their sonic booms over the oceans - fewer complaints that way. $\endgroup$– Dan PichelmanCommented Aug 10, 2017 at 13:35
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$\begingroup$ @mins - I'd forgotten about people hearing the "double boom" when a shuttle landed. $\endgroup$– Dan PichelmanCommented Aug 10, 2017 at 14:27
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$\begingroup$ Note that the Space Shuttle didn't accelerate to orbital speed until it was out of most of the atmosphere. On reentry, it was not travelling at Mach 25, it was decelerating from that speed to the ~225 mph at which it touched down. Then consider the size of the fuel tank required to boost it to orbit, and the thermal protection required for reentry - and what happens when that protection fails. $\endgroup$– jamesqfCommented Oct 2, 2017 at 6:17
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