Dept. of Civil Aviation distils the truth about sonic boom
Brian Dominguez
The Department of Civil Aviation closely followed Endeavour’s re-entry into earth’s atmosphere as it headed for landing at Cape Canaveral. The shuttle moved directly over Belize’s path but by the time the boom was heard, it was already further north over Cozumel.
Brian Dominguez, Operations Officer, Department of Civil Aviation
“The Sonic boom is the relative noise that comes from any supersonic carrier or craft piercing through the air greater than the speed of sound, whenever that happens there’s what we refer to as a boom that trails behind the craft. Whenever you hear it, the craft itself is normally several miles away. Like in last night’s experience, I was tracking and it was two to three minutes after, we got the sonic boom. By that time the craft was by Cozumel.”
Jose Sanchez
“Why was everyone able to hear this noise? The sound obviously was heard from Corozal all the way to PG, why is that?”
Brian Dominguez
“Right, the path that the craft transcended, it came in relatively from the southwest heading over to the northeast as it transcends Belize going to Kennedy. As you look at the graph, the graph shows where it skims right along the line of Belize. So the sonic boom travels behind this craft as it transcends into its initial descent into the atmosphere.”
Jose Sanchez
“It’s not the first time it has traveled through that path, but why is the first time people are noticing that it’s passing?”
Brian Dominguez
“Perhaps, because it was a lighter night; the night was relatively bright so you could have easily seen the effect that it leaves behind, the trailing effect that is. I don’t know if it wasn’t—if you didn’t know that it was coming, you wouldn’t have been seeing the craft itself but rather the amplification of the air that passes through as it makes it way to go over back.”
Jose Sanchez
“I know it didn’t happen but to clarify the rumors, there are people who claimed they saw parts of the aircraft falling apart, burning to pieces.”
Brian Dominguez
“No, no, no that’s not true. If they saw—that aircraft passed Belize roughly at weighty-four thousand feet. If that aircraft was breaking away, it would have started breaking away from the initial entry, which is around four hundred thousand feet. By the time it reached here it would have been in pieces; that’s not true. What they may have seen is the after effect, the glow from the carbon shields that heat up. This is a natural phenomenon that follows the craft.”
