Shockwaves Visible as ATLAS V Rocket Carrying SDO Breaks Sound Barrier

[wobblefluff]

Orsum.

[SlimMrJim]

that is surreal!

[decemberdazzle]

THAT IS SO COOL! Really really awesome! XD XD XD

[thepretenda]

Snell's Law is awesome!

[Radqq]

Similar shockwaves in clouds are visible in Apollo 11 launch. Check "Apollo 11 Launch Footage Montage" here on youtube.

[yournameheresch]

DO IT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JBitch69]

i think the shockwave is the rocket penetrating a layer of the atmosphere

[BTurkelson]

The "black line" is simply the rocket's shadow.

[TrutherD1]

Great video of blasting off through the chem-sky. The shockwaves and black line were quite odd. Are they related to black lines people are filming everywhere or are they a different phenomenon? watch?v=kf-cUk0YtmU ∙ watch?v=9Ba1lEN6HEI ∙ watch?v=cCQsJ2bjx1U

[philritter21]

@TrutherD1 Its called a shadow.

[TrutherD1]

@philritter21 Particle beam: watch?v=kf-cUk0YtmU ∙ watch?v=9Ba1lEN6HEI ∙ watch?v=cCQsJ2bjx1U

[TheOcturian1111]

Awesome Ripples

[cwmika]

I was there to see the launch and the ripples in the cloud layer. They moved through the clouds as if someone had tossed a pebble into a still pool. It was very cool.

[Heksu77]

It should be noted, that the shock waves are not created by "breaking the sound barrier". Instead they are caused by the rocket *travelling through the cloud faster than sound*. While flying, the rocket drags cone-shaped shock waves through the cirrus cloud, and the waves seen in the sundog are circular sections of the conical shock waves.

[philritter21]

@Heksu77 This phenomenon has (I am almost certain) nothing to do with the speed of the rocket. The shockwaves are simply part of the continual stream of shockwaves produced by the burning of the rocket fuel. If this was caused by the rocket traveling faster than sound, there would be one single large shockwave. This same multiple shockwave phenomenon can be seen during several launches of the Saturn V before it even clears the tower... clearly below the speed of sound.

[Heksu77]

@philritter21 You may indeed be right, the noise and shockwaves created by the engine are tremendous and the waves seem to have kind of chaotic nature.

[TheArfdog]

@philritter21 Also I would say this is just refraction resulting from the engine's very loud sound pressure. So the light coming from behind is just being refracted by the powerfully compressed/rarefied air, eg sound.

[Liquadia]

@Heksu77 I thought travelling through something faster than sound would indicate you are breaking the SOUND barrier? you contradicted yourself

[somejackball]

wicked!!

[meatpie27]

fake

[belovedwarrior]

So you're saying that NASA is faking sonic booms?

[Knowwon249]

@belovedwarrior Don't get trolled again.

[arlik100]

@belovedwarrior you wrote: "So you're saying that NASA is faking sonic booms?

------------------

well, since Atlas V rocket is propelled by Russian made RD-180 engines (google) which USA buys in Russia you should redirect your joke to Moscow, rather then NASA

[SeraphsSword]

im still baffled that we arent using space energy to send these things into space. its mind boggling.

[darpa322]

thats just fucking sick!

Pure American Muscle, URah!

[monteroj69]

I call bullshit.

[Yoetah]

I see the shadow as the barrier is broke but what's the black line shadow extending out in front of the rocket at about :20?

[crusiatusblack]

Possibly an area not affected by the shockwave, as it's directly in front of the rocket's path... As the shockwave is a result of air pushed to the sides on high speed, theoretically, the area in front of the rocket wouldn't be affected right?

I'm just talking, I don't know shit about rockets XD

[skylord58]

I think the rocket was past the cloud layer and you are seeing an optical illusion: the shadow being cast on TOP of the thin cloud layer. It looks from the ground like a dark streak went shooting out ahead of the rocket, but imagine being on the nose of the rocket looking backwards as you break through the cloud, the sun would immediately cast a shadow on top of that layer. It disappears quickly, so that's my uneducated guess!

[venustess]

I think your right, It looks very much like a shadow, The angle its flying would be perfect to cast a shadow

[alanstarkie2001]

Cool!

[trungiee]

Cool. Nice video. But isn't it spelt "Visible"?

[skirack9]

You are correct, thanks for catching that for me.

[buttseches]

...it's spelled, not spelt.

[kris120890]

and spelt dumbass. Learn english before you criticise others.

[NOmeansnoFAN]

lol priceless, interweb fool!!!

[homologygroup]

it's either, depending on which side of the Atlantic ocean you're on

[dunskie]

Isn't it spelled "spelled"?

[TheArfdog]

@trungiee Isn't "spelt" spelled "spelled"?

[jimo1150]

@TheArfdog if you're American, yes!

[drewbaloo513]

@trungiee isn't it spelled "spelled"?

[catalinaumbert]

@trungiee Isn't it spelt "spelled"??

[FractalInfinities]

Wow!

[RuffleTheTeacher]

Excellent!

On spaceweather(dot)com they are featuring a video of this shockwave breaking up a sundog.

So amazing! Going to study the sun and its launch is involved in a rare solar/atmospheric event.

Great vid!