Why “Sound Barrier”?
Before 1947, it was believed that the speed of sound created a physical barrier for aircraft and pilots. As airplanes approach the speed of sound, a shock wave forms and the aircraft encounters sharply increased drag, violent shaking, loss of lift, and loss of control. In attempting to break the barrier, several planes went out of control and crashed, injuring many pilots and killing some. Eventually, the barrier proved to be mythical. Capt. Chuck Yeager, who punched through the barrier in the X-1, later wrote in his autobiography: “I thought I was seeing things! We were flying supersonic! And it was as smooth as a baby’s bottom. Grandma could be up there sipping lemonade.” What Is a “Sonic Boom”? Sonic booms are created by air pressure. Much like a boat pushes up a wave as it travels through water, a vehicle pushes air molecules aside in such a way they are compressed to the point where shock waves are formed. The shock waves move outward and rearward in all directions and usually ext
