Advancing Sonic Boom Modeling for Space Launch Operations

This presentation summarizes recent efforts to improve the modeling of sonic booms from space launch vehicles using PCBoom, NASA’s sonic boom prediction code. Focusing on Falcon 9 launch trajectories from Vandenberg Space Force Base, the updated capabilities are benchmarked against earlier PCBoom versions, with particular attention to differences between the legacy and enhanced Burgers solvers in stability, numerical behavior, and runtime performance. Algorithmic upgrades, including optimized numerical schemes and more efficient propagation methods, substantially reduce computational cost and enable real-time and large-scale simulations. Together, these enhancements advance the fidelity and efficiency of sonic boom modeling, supporting more accurate environmental assessments and expanding PCBoom’s applicability to future commercial and government launch operations.