---
kind: "section"
citation: "51 U.S.C. § 40704"
title: "51"
title_heading: "National and Commercial Space Programs"
number: "40704"
heading: "Research program on perceived impact of sonic booms"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/51/40704"
units:
  - "Subtitle IV — Aeronautics and Space Research and Education"
  - "Chapter 407 — Environmentally Friendly Aircraft"
---

# §40704. Research program on perceived impact of sonic booms

- (a) **Establishment.—** The [Administrator](/usc/51/10101.md?p=2) shall establish a cooperative research program with industry, including the conduct of flight demonstrations in a relevant environment, to collect data on the perceived impact of sonic booms. The data could enable the promulgation of appropriate standards for overland commercial supersonic flight operations.
- (b) **Coordination.—** The [Administrator](/usc/51/10101.md?p=2) shall ensure that sonic boom research is coordinated as appropriate with the [Administrator](/usc/51/10101.md?p=2) of the Federal Aviation [Administration](/usc/51/10101.md?p=1), and as appropriate make use of the expertise of the Partnership for Air Transportation Noise and Emissions Reduction Center of Excellence sponsored by the [Administration](/usc/51/10101.md?p=1) and the Federal Aviation [Administration](/usc/51/10101.md?p=1).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 111–314, § 3, Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3391.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 40704(a) | 42 U.S.C. 17723(b). | Pub. L. 110–422, title III, § 304(b), (c), Oct. 15, 2008, 122 Stat. 4787. |
| 40704(b) | 42 U.S.C. 17723(c). |  |

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Purpose

Pub. L. 110–422, title III, § 304(a), Oct. 15, 2008, 122 Stat. 4787, provided that: “The ability to fly commercial aircraft over land at supersonic speeds without adverse impacts on the environment or on local communities would open new markets and enable new transportation capabilities. In order to have the basis for establishing appropriate sonic boom standards for such flight operations, a research program is needed to assess the impact in a relevant environment of commercial supersonic flight operations.”