Supersonic flight

Extracted Attributes

Supersonic speed

Supersonic speed is the speed of an object that exceeds the speed of sound (Mach 1). For objects traveling in dry air of a temperature of 20 °C (68 °F) at sea level, this speed is approximately 343.2 m/s (1,126 ft/s; 768 mph; 667.1 kn; 1,236 km/h). Speeds greater than five times the speed of sound (Mach 5) are often referred to as hypersonic. Flights during which only some parts of the air surrounding an object, such as the ends of rotor blades, reach supersonic speeds are called transonic. This occurs typically somewhere between Mach 0.8 and Mach 1.2. Sounds are traveling vibrations in the form of pressure waves in an elastic medium. Objects move at supersonic speed when the objects move faster than the speed at which sound propagates through the medium. In gases, sound travels longitudinally at different speeds, mostly depending on the molecular mass and temperature of the gas, and pressure has little effect. Since air temperature and composition varies significantly with altitude, the speed of sound, and Mach numbers for a steadily moving object may change. In water at room temperature, supersonic speed means any speed greater than 1,440 m/s (4,724 ft/s). In solids, sound waves can be polarized longitudinally or transversely and have higher velocities. Supersonic fracture is crack formation faster than the speed of sound in a brittle material.

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• What is Supersonic Flight? - Aircraft Mechanic and Avionics Training - PIA - Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics

  Skip to content 800.444.1440 | admissions@pia.edu | Student Portal PIA Aircraft Mechanic and Avionics Training - PIA - Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics super sonic flight # What is Supersonic Flight? Supersonic flight refers to any object that travels faster than the speed of sound, which is approximately 767 miles per hour (1,234 kilometers per hour) at sea level. Supersonic is a pinnacle of modern mechanical and technical expertise, allowing passengers to travel at speeds faster than the speed of sound. These aircraft are marvels of design, using advanced materials and technologies to achieve the incredible feat of supersonic flight. Prepare to explore the science behind how supersonic jets work and the key features that make it possible. [...] When an object travels at or above this speed, it generates shock waves that produce a characteristic “sonic boom”. Supersonic flight is achieved by propelling an aircraft through the air at a speed faster than the speed of sound. #### The Design of Supersonic Jets One of the most important features of supersonic jets is their design. These aircraft are typically long, slender, and pointed, with wings that are swept back at an angle. The pointed nose of a supersonic jet is designed to minimize the shock waves that form as air is compressed around the aircraft. The slender body of the aircraft helps to reduce drag and improve its aerodynamic efficiency. Finally, the wings of a supersonic jet are swept back at an angle to reduce drag and increase lift. [...] #### The Materials Used in Supersonic Jets Another significant aspect of supersonic flight is the use of advanced materials that can withstand the high temperatures generated by supersonic flight. As an aircraft travels at supersonic speeds, the air around it is compressed and heated. This can cause the aircraft’s skin to become very hot, which could lead to structural damage if the materials used are not able to withstand the heat. Titanium and ceramic composites are commonly used in supersonic aircraft to prevent this from happening. These materials can withstand the high temperatures generated by supersonic flight, making it possible for the aircraft to travel at such incredible speeds. #### Achieving the “Impossible”

• Supersonic transport - Wikipedia

  or a supersonic airliner is a civilian supersonic aircraft designed to transport passengers at speeds greater than the speed of sound in terms of air speed. To date, the only SSTs to see regular service have been Concorde and the Tupolev Tu-144, although the Boom Technology Overture SST may succeed in starting service around 2029, which would make it the third operational SST. The last passenger flight of the Tu-144 was in June 1978 and it was last flown in 1999 by NASA. Concorde's last commercial flight was in October 2003, with a November 26, 2003, ferry flight being its last flight. [...] Another issue in supersonic flight is the lift to drag ratio (L/D ratio) of the wings. At supersonic speeds, airfoils generate lift in an entirely different manner than at subsonic speeds, and are invariably less efficient. For this reason, considerable research has been put into designing wing planforms "Planform (aeronautics)") for sustained supersonic cruise. At about Mach 2, a typical wing design will cut its L/D ratio in half (e.g., Concorde managed a ratio of 7.14, whereas the subsonic Boeing 747 has an L/D ratio of 17). Because an aircraft's design must provide enough lift to overcome its own weight, a reduction of its L/D ratio at supersonic speeds requires additional thrust to maintain its airspeed and altitude. ### Engines [edit] [...] The TsAGI exhibited at the 2017 MAKS Air Show in Moscow a scale model of its Supersonic Business Jet / Commercial Jet which should produce a low sonic boom permitting supersonic flight over land, optimised for 2,100 km/h (1,300 mph) cruise and 7,400–8,600 km (4,600–5,300 mi) range. The scientific research aims to optimise for both Mach 0.8–0.9 transonic and Mach 1.5–2.0 supersonic speeds, a similar design is tested in a wind tunnel while the engines are conceptualised at the Central Institute for Aviation Motors and designs are studied by Aviadvigatel and NPO Saturn. At the October 2017 NBAA convention in Las Vegas, with NASA supporting only research, various companies faced engineering challenges to propose aircraft with no engine available, variable top speeds and operating models:

• Supersonic flight | Commercial Air Travel, Mach 1 & Mach 2

  Britannica Editors History Image 9: Britannica AI IconBritannica AI Ask Anything Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask Anything supersonic flight, passage through the air at speed greater than the local velocity of sound. The speed of sound (Mach 1) varies with atmospheric pressure and temperature: in air at a temperature of 15 °C (59 °F) and sea-level pressure, sound travels at about 1,225 km (760 miles) per hour. At speeds beyond about five times the velocity of sound (Mach 5), the term _hypersonic flight_ is employed. An object traveling through Earth’s atmosphere at supersonic speed generates a sonic boom—i.e., a shock wave heard on the ground as a sound like a loud explosion. [...] The first aircraft to fly at supersonic speeds was a Bell X-1 rocket-powered research plane piloted by Major Charles E. Yeager of the U.S. Air Force on October 14, 1947. After being dropped from the belly of a Boeing B-29 mother ship, the XS-1 broke the (local) sound barrier at 1,066 km (662 miles) per hour and attained a top speed of 1,126 km (700 miles) per hour, or Mach 1.06. Thereafter many military aircraft capable of supersonic flight were built, though their speed was generally limited to Mach 2.5 because of problems caused by frictional heating of the skin of the plane. [...] Concorde, the first supersonic passenger-carrying commercial airplane (or supersonic transport, SST), built jointly by aircraft manufacturers in Great Britain and France. The Concorde made its first transatlantic crossing on September 26, 1973, and it inaugurated the world’s first scheduled supersonic passenger service on January 21, 1976—British Airways initially flying the aircraft from London to Bahrain and Air France flying it from Paris to Rio de Janeiro. Both airlines added regular service to Washington, D.C., in May 1976 and to New York City in November 1977. Other routes were added temporarily or seasonally, and the Concorde was flown on chartered flights to destinations all over the world. However, the aircraft’s noise and operating expense limited its service. Financial losses

• Supersonic aircraft

  A supersonic aircraft is an aircraft capable of supersonic flight, that is, flying faster than the speed of sound (Mach 1). Supersonic aircraft were developed

• What Is Supersonic Flight? (Grades 5-8) - NASA

  NASA STEM Team May 19, 2009 Article ## Contents What Flies at Supersonic Speeds? What Is a Sonic Boom? Why Does NASA Study Supersonic Flight? How Does NASA Study Supersonic Flight? What Is the Quesst Mission? Career Corner More About Supersonic Flight This article is for students grades 5-8. Supersonic flight is one of the four ranges of flight speeds. These ranges are known as the regimes of flight. The regimes of flight are subsonic, transonic, supersonic, and hypersonic. Objects that fly at supersonic speeds are flying faster than the speed of sound. The speed of sound is about 768 miles per hour (1,236 kilometers per hour) at sea level. In 1947, Air Force Capt. Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager became the first person to fly an aircraft faster than the speed of sound. [...] Rockets fly at supersonic speeds after liftoff. From about 45 seconds after launch until about two minutes after launch, a rocket accelerates from Mach 1 to Mach 5. When they reach Earth’s upper atmosphere, they fly at hypersonic speeds – greater than Mach 5. During atmospheric re-entry, spacecraft slow to supersonic speeds. Spacecraft like the SpaceX Dragon and Orion capsules fly at supersonic speeds when they reach the lower part of Earth’s atmosphere and slow down for landing. ## How Does NASA Study Supersonic Flight? [...] The shock wave forms a cone of pressurized air. A sharp release of pressure after the buildup of a shock wave is heard as a sonic boom. It is similar to the sharp release of pressure when a pin pops a balloon and makes a loud noise. ## Why Does NASA Study Supersonic Flight? NASA studies supersonic flight as part of its aeronautics research. Aeronautics is the study of the science of flight. NASA studies flight in support of the nation’s air transportation system and the development of future air and space vehicles. Learning more about supersonic flight helps NASA design aircraft to perform better at supersonic speeds. It can also help in the design of new vehicles used to explore space. Space vehicles fly at supersonic speeds, too.