why is it that a space shuttle only makes one sonic boom when leaving and two when returning?

Answer 1

When going uphill (acceleration) and returning to Earth (deceleration), the shuttle passes the speed of sound 1 time each. The boom that you hear is the release of the air pressure that has built up (in the form of a cone around the aircraft). There are actually two "booms"; 1 when the craft's nose passes beyond the pressurized cone, and 2 when the tail of the craft passes beyond the pressurized cone.

On smaller aircraft the two booms generally cannot be distinguished separately so we just refer to them as one sonic boom. On the space shuttle however, because it is a much bulkier craft, the two booms are distinguished easily.

So during ascent and descent there are 2 sonic booms each. Once when the nose passes the pressure cone and second when the tail passes the pressure cone.

Answer 2

All aircraft actually generate two sonic booms. A bow shock wave and a tail shock-wave are always generated. With small aircraft the two shock-waves overlap by the time they reach the ground and so we hear it as a single boom. The shuttle is large enough that we are able to hear two booms about half a second apart. When the shuttle is taking off, the vehicle is close to the vertical which causes the two shock waves to overlap on the ground and we hear it as a single boom.

Answer 3

As "T" and "Stewart H" pointed out, all aircraft make a double sonic boom. You can actually see the double boom in this picture taken during the shuttle's ascent. There's one pressure wave on the nose and one pressure wave on the tail. It's awesome!

Answer 4

The boom occurs when entering and leaving the sound barrier. When it is departing you never hear the space shuttle slow down therefore you only hear it once. Upon it's return, it is hitting or is at the speed of sound when entereing the earths atmospere and then slows down past the sound barrier, that's why you hear it twice.


Honestly I don't know but it sounds good doesn't it?

Answer 5

When it is coming back, it decelerates and goes through the sound barrier and it may have to accelerate to do it again. But, the boom happens both times through the barrier.
However, when it takes off, it is only accelerating. So, it just goes through the sound barrier once.

Answer 6

A sonic boom happens when an object cuts through the air so fast that the air behind it slams back together...one time. It's the same principle as lightning.

Answer 7

because maybe its going twice the speed of sound when returning and only once when leaving

Answer 8

i never heard the second upon returning? please explain.