Sonic Boom Community Response Metric & Methodology

Sonic Boom Community Response Metric & Methodology validates field study methodology, including indoor and outdoor noise metrics, exposure estimates, survey tools, and test protocols to support community studies with a low-boom flight demonstration aircraft.

This technical challenge addresses preparing tools and processes for measuring community response during future overflight campaigns by a low-boom supersonic demonstrator. These technologies are key, as the data collected during the overflight campaigns will become a body of knowledge on community response to low-noise sonic booms that, upon transfer to regulators, could support a new noise standard for commercial supersonic flight over land. Such sonic boom levels achieved through new aircraft design would be dramatically quieter than those produced by the retired Concorde or by current military aircraft. The preparation for demonstration of low boom overland flight. The ultimate goal of such a demonstration will be to develop a body of knowledge on community response to low noise sonic boom that would support the development of a noise standard for supersonic cruise noise. The sonic boom noise levels that may be achieved in future designs are dramatically quieter than those produced by aircraft such as the Concorde or current military aircraft.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.