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An Inaudible Sonic Boom, Visualized

Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 ‘Baby Boom’ has broken the sound barrier six times, but you wouldn’t be able to tell from the ground.

Monday, March 03, 2025 at 04:53 PM ET

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NASA and Boom Supersonic relied on precise flying and specialized telescopes to produce this Schlieren image of Boom’s XB-1 demonstrator breaking the sound barrier. [Courtesy: NASA/Boom Supersonic]

Key Takeaways:

NASA and Boom Supersonic collaborated to visualize a sonic boom from Boom's XB-1 demonstrator using specialized Schlieren photography.
The XB-1 successfully demonstrated "boomless cruise," where the sonic boom did not reach the ground due to a physics concept called Mach cutoff.
This achievement aims to challenge current FAA regulations prohibiting supersonic flight over land and could enable future commercial supersonic aircraft, like Boom's Overture, to operate over populated areas.

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We know what a sonic boom sounds like. But what does it look like? NASA, with help from the steady flying of Boom Supersonic chief test pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg, just released a visualization of the phenomenon.

The company’s XB-1 “Baby Boom”—a demonstrator that is about one-third the size of Overture, a supersonic, SAF-powered airliner it is developing for 64 to 80 passengers—is the first independently built jet to break the sound barrier. Retired in February, it eclipsed Mach 1 six times across two test flights. But you wouldn’t be able to tell from the ground.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.