Part 2/6:
For decades, sonic booms have been the defining obstacle for commercial supersonic travel. When an aircraft exceeds the speed of sound, it creates pressure waves—ripples in the air—that coalesce into a shock wave. This shock wave travels ahead of the aircraft and produces the loud, disruptive noise known as a sonic boom when it reaches the ground. In many regions, sonic booms are considered a nuisance, leading to restrictions and outright bans on supersonic flights over populated areas. As a result, supersonic travel became confined to military or specialized uses, far from the realm of regular passengers.