Suggested Searches

1 min read

NASA Captures Supersonic Shock Interaction

A pair of T-38 aircraft creating shockwaves during supersonic flight.
One of the greatest challenges of the fourth phase of the Air-to-Air Background Oriented Schlieren flights, or AirBOS flight series was timing. In order to acquire the image, NASA flew a B-200, outfitted with an updated imaging system, at around 30,000 feet while the pair of T-38s were required to not only remain in formation, but to fly at supersonic speeds at the precise moment they were directly beneath the B-200. The images were captured as a result of all three aircraft being in the exact right place at the exact right time designated by NASA’s operations team.
NASA

One of the greatest challenges of the fourth phase of the Air-to-Air Background Oriented Schlieren flights, or AirBOS flight series was timing. In order to acquire the image, NASA flew a B-200, outfitted with an updated imaging system, at around 30,000 feet while the pair of T-38s were required to not only remain in formation, but to fly at supersonic speeds at the precise moment they were directly beneath the B-200. The images were captured as a result of all three aircraft being in the exact right place at the exact right time designated by NASA’s operations team.

Read more about AirBOS Phase 4 flight tests.

February 2019