NASA Looks To Address Supersonic Aircraft Noise, Environmental Concerns Written 4 September 2018

Aerospace America reported that after NASA and its industry partners reduce the effect of sonic booms generated by supersonic aircraft, the “next steps toward supersonic passenger jets would be to reduce takeoff and landing noise” and to mitigate the aircrafts’ carbon emissions and the potential damage the aircraft pose to the ozone layer. The current $500 million in NASA funding for supersonic aircraft allocated through 2025 leaves “no room for emissions research...and in October NASA plans to pledge to Congress that it will live within that figure.” According to NASA Commercial Supersonics Technology Project Manager Peter Coen, “There’s only so much budget, there’s a lot of different priorities.” However, Coen added, once flight tests conclude in 2025, “we’ll turn our attention more to the investment required to address some of the other barriers,” including emissions. According to Coen, technological advancements in “new generations of subsonic engines [are] applicable to the design of a supersonic engine.” NASA has engaged with Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, and GE regarding cleaner supersonic engine concepts. 
Full Story (Aerospace America)