Initial Acoustical Findings from the NASA Antares 230 NG-19 Launch

Exploring the world of rocket noise unveils a realm where innovative engineering meets acoustic challenges, with implications for aerospace technology and its environmental impact. This presentation documents initial findings from noise measurements collected at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility during liftoff of the Antares 230 launch vehicle on August 1, 2023. The Antares 230 rocket is provided with 3300 kN of thrust by two RD-181 engines. This vehicle is used to resupply the International Space Station due to its ability to deliver a payload of 6500 kg to low Earth orbit. This was the last launch using this vehicle before the engines are updated to use the Firefly Reaver engines. Since this was the last launch of the vehicle from Wallops Island, acoustic intensity stations were placed at varying distances surrounding the rocket to help characterize the directionality of the noise produced during liftoff. Findings will include maximum 1-second averaged sound pressure levels along with spectra of the frequency content and initial intensity vectors used for source localization.