SOUND BARRIER

Sound Barrier

Sound barrier means the increase in aerodynamic drag as an airplane approaches the speed of sound. In the air, the speed that the waves travel is determined by atmospheric conditions, so the speed of sound can vary depending on temperature. The sound barrier is a concept developed in the early 20th century, when many scientists believed that the drag on aircraft caused by approaching the speed of sound made it impossible for any aircraft to reach or exceed the speed of sound without being destroyed. Most of the time, it isn't even noticeable. Breaking the sound barrier is usually something for military aircraft, as few commercial aircraft have top speeds over the speed of sound. Flying faster than sound produces a sonic boom.

In 1942, the United Kingdom's Ministry of Aviation began a top-secret project to develop the world's first aircraft capable of breaking the sound barrier. The project resulted in the development of the prototype Miles M.52 turbojet-powered aircraft, which was designed to reach 1,000 mph (417 m/s; 1,600 km/h) (over twice the existing speed record) in level flight, and to climb to an altitude of 36,000 ft (11 km) in 1 minute 30 seconds.