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Title 51 — National and Commercial Space ProgramsRelease 119-73

§40704 Research program on perceived impact of sonic booms

Title 51 › Subtitle Subtitle IV— - Aeronautics and Space Research and Education › Chapter CHAPTER 407— - ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AIRCRAFT › § 40704

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Administrator must start a joint research program with industry to study how people notice and are affected by sonic booms. The work must include flight tests in real-world conditions to gather data that could help create rules for commercial supersonic flights over land. The Administrator must coordinate the research with the FAA Administrator and, when helpful, use experts from the air-transportation noise and emissions Center of Excellence sponsored by the Administration and the FAA.

Full Legal Text

Title 51, §40704

National and Commercial Space Programs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Administrator shall establish a cooperative research program with industry, including the conduct of flight demonstrations in a relevant environment, to collect data on the perceived impact of sonic booms. The data could enable the promulgation of appropriate standards for overland commercial supersonic flight operations.
(b)The Administrator shall ensure that sonic boom research is coordinated as appropriate with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, and as appropriate make use of the expertise of the Partnership for Air Transportation Noise and Emissions Reduction Center of Excellence sponsored by the Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 40704(a)42 U.S.C. 17723(b).Pub. L. 110–422, title III, § 304(b), (c), Oct. 15, 2008, 122 Stat. 4787. 40704(b)42 U.S.C. 17723(c).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Purpose Pub. L. 110–422, title III, § 304(a), Oct. 15, 2008, 122 Stat. 4787, provided that: “The ability to fly commercial aircraft over land at supersonic speeds without adverse impacts on the environment or on local communities would open new markets and enable new transportation capabilities. In order to have the basis for establishing appropriate sonic boom standards for such flight operations, a research program is needed to assess the impact in a relevant environment of commercial supersonic flight operations.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

51 U.S.C. § 40704

Title 51 — National and Commercial Space Programs

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73