21 July 2011
Posted in
Science Park
As Atlantis landed at the Kennedy Space Station this morning, many Orlando locals were able to hear the loud sonic boom as the shuttle re-entered Earth’s atmosphere. The shuttle’s twin sonic booms - caused by shock waves at its nose and tail - are a result of the orbiter traveling faster than the speed of sound. Below is a diagram explaining how sonic booms occur and where they were heard:
The following YouTube clip is a recording of the Sonic Boom heard in Naples, FL.
