Came across this only 5 years away.

https://boomsupersonic.com/about/

 

 

Fascinating. It may actually come to pass with the leadership Boom has attracted.

Still doesn't explain how the sonic boom is lessened or eliminated. Unless it can then supersonic flight over populated areas will never be possible. Concorde was decades ahead of its time and no viable alternative has ever been built.

If you have used a wave tank in physics class to study the interactions with waves you will understand how the amplitude of waves increases or decreases to varying degrees. This all depends on the point where the crests and troughs of the waves meet.

All these designs seek to reduce the interactions between the waves at various points to reduce the amplitude when it reaches the surface. There will be a boom, but it will be far weaker.

The engineers seek to alter the points and angles where the waves will form in order to produce the desired result. I would imagine that there are plenty of means by which they can all but eliminate the powerful boom, but most are likely impracticable to build, operate our not suitable for the purpose.

1 hour ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

Still doesn't explain how the sonic boom is lessened or eliminated. Unless it can then supersonic flight over populated areas will never be possible. Concorde was decades ahead of its time and no viable alternative has ever been built.

https://boomsupersonic.com/faq/

"What about the sonic boom?

Boom's airliner is designed to maximize efficiency while producing a “boom” at least 30 times quieter than Concorde's.

There are many common misconceptions about sonic boom. Other commonplace noises, such as thunder, are louder than sonic booms. Sonic booms generated by commercial aircraft at cruise altitude do not break windows or cause any damage to structures. Sonic booms generated by an F-4 flying below 100 feet have been experienced by humans with no hearing damage or other injury reported. These booms are over 200 times stronger than what Boom's aircraft will produce.

Unfortunately, supersonic flight is banned over the United States. This ban should be reversed and replaced with a commonsense noise standard, set to promote efficient, affordable supersonic flight while disallowing nuisance. In the meantime, Boom will focus on routes that are primarily overwater—such as New York to London or San Francisco to Tokyo, flying subsonically when over land. Over 500 routes benefit immediately and significantly from supersonic speeds."

I’m assuming all this is theoretical and a prototype has yet to be built.

Their website says they are building a 1/3 scale prototype. Sounds theoretical.

Japan Airlines investing $10 million

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/04/japan-airlines-invests-10-million-in-supersonic-startup-boom.html