A model for the prediction of community noise from launch vehicles.

A model, RNOISE, has been developed for prediction of far‐field community noise from the launch and boost phase of launch vehicles. It follows the moving source principles of an early NASA model [Wilhold et al., NASA Report No. TN D‐1832 (1963)] but uses a noise source and directivity model developed by Sutherland [AIAA Paper No. 93‐4383 (1993)] together with modern propagation algorithms as employed in the time simulation aircraft models NMSIM (NoiseMap Simulation) and AAM (Advanced Acoustic Model). RNOISE, first used for environmental analysis in the mid‐1990s, is a spectral time simulation model, generating predictions of one‐third octave band spectra on the ground as a function of time. Predictions may be made at a single point or on a grid. Recent improvements to RNOISE are the ability to read flight path data from a PCBoom format trajectory file, and output of time history grids in the TIG format used by NMSIM, AAM, and RNM (Rotorcraft Noise Model). This permits presentation of results as animations as well as traditional static contours.