Authors: Zach Hendry, Carson Cunningham
Mentors: Micah Shepherd, Kent Gee
Insitution: Brigham Young University
The number of rocket launches per year has been increasing dramatically since 2015, with more rockets launched in the year 2022 than had ever been launched. With the increase in the number of launches per year, it has become increasingly important to understand the impact of rocket launches on the greater environment and community. One important aspect of a rocket launch is the level of acoustical energy that is produced during liftoff. Instantaneous pressure values have been regularly recorded up to 180 dB. Due to these high levels, it’s become important to be able to accurately predict the noise produced by a rocket. One powerful tool used in predicting this sound is the crest factor. The crest factor is an acoustical measurement that shows the difference between the maximum sound pressure (i.e. the crest) compared against the averaged value of the sound pressure. Additionally, this information is vital for planning acoustical equipment in order to avoid measurement clipping. This presentation will be about crest factor analyses performed on the Antares NG-19 rocket launch from August 2023.