NASA Armstrong Advances Shock Wave Photography

These shock waves are seen coming off a T-38 trainer jet during the Air-to-air Background Oriented Schlieren flights in 2019, using Schlieren photography equipment and techniques. With the Airborne Schlieren Photography System, NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center is refining Schlieren photography equipment to support flight testing of NASA’s X-59 aircraft for the Quesst mission. Such imaging will help engineers validate sonic boom-reducing technologies.