NASA, French Aerospace Lab to Collaborate on Sonic Boom Prediction Research
July 18, 2018 | PRNewswireEstimated reading time: 1 minute
NASA and France's Office National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aerospatiales (ONERA), the French national aerospace research center, signed a research agreement Wednesday that could make supersonic passenger flights over land practical, dramatically reducing travel time in the United States or anywhere in the world.
NASA and ONERA agreed to collaborate on research predicting where sonic booms will be heard as supersonic aircraft fly overhead. This could lead to alleviating the effects of the loud noise caused by sonic booms.
The agreement, signed during bilateral meetings held in conjunction with the 2018 Farnborough International Air Show in the United Kingdom, is the 12th agreement between the two organizations and the third that is still active. The most recent agreement, signed in September 2016, involved collaboration on aircraft noise research.
"This partnership shows there is interest in supersonic travel all over the world," said Jaiwon Shin, NASA's associate administrator for aeronautics. "Solving the issue of annoying sonic booms could ultimately cut travel time to worldwide destinations in half."
"This new partnership comes as a natural follow-up to a decade of successful cooperation between NASA and ONERA on the topic of aircraft noise mitigation, as well as an exciting perspective to revive the pioneering era of supersonic aviation," said Bruno Sainjon, ONERA's chief executive officer.
The cooperation under this agreement will create a forum through which NASA and ONERA can share technical knowledge and data in order to independently improve their own capabilities, with the overall objective of mitigating the effects of sonic booms produced by civil air transportation.
Both organizations will define common verification cases, use numerical tools to predict where sonic booms will reach the ground, and perform detailed analyses and comparisons of the results. NASA's efforts toward this agreement complement work currently taking place at NASA's Langley Research Center in Virginia.
NASA is committed to conducting research that will enable a robust commercial supersonic market, including faster-than-sound air travel over land. The agency's X-59 quiet supersonic technology airplane is the cornerstone of this effort.
For more information about NASA's aeronautics research, click here.
Testimonial
"In a year when every marketing dollar mattered, I chose to keep I-Connect007 in our 2025 plan. Their commitment to high-quality, insightful content aligns with Koh Young’s values and helps readers navigate a changing industry. "
Brent Fischthal - Koh YoungSuggested Items
The Republic of Korea Selects L3Harris for Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft Program
10/20/2025 | BUSINESS WIREL3Harris Technologies has received a contract to deliver modified Bombardier Global 6500 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft to the Republic of Korea Air Force.
Molex Announces Agreement to Acquire Smiths Interconnect
10/17/2025 | MolexMolex, a leading global electronics connectivity innovator, announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Smiths Interconnect.
American Standard Circuits Achieves Successful AS9100 Recertification
10/14/2025 | American Standard CircuitsAmerican Standard Circuits (ASC), a leading manufacturer of advanced printed circuit boards, proudly announces the successful completion of its AS9100 recertification audit. This milestone reaffirms ASC’s ongoing commitment to the highest levels of quality, reliability, and process control required to serve aerospace, defense, space, and other mission-critical industries.
Kodiak Assembly Solutions Renews ITAR Registration, Providing Secure and Compliant Manufacturing for Defense & Aerospace
09/25/2025 | Kodiak Assembly SolutionsKodiak Assembly Solutions LLLP, a leading electronics contract manufacturer, has successfully renewed its ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) registration.
Cyient DLM, A Voice from the Frontlines
09/24/2025 | Arpita Das, Global Electronics AssociationOnce seen as a low-cost, build-to-print destination, India’s EMS sector is rapidly emerging as a global hub for high-reliability electronics, particularly in strategic sectors like aerospace, defense, and medical. As such, we highlight some companies that exemplify the strength and potential of Indian manufacturing.