Rockets commonly attain speeds faster than the speed of sound. Ordinary passenger airplanes do not. A "sonic boom" similar to thunder can be heard when an object "breaks the sound barrier" and travels faster than the speed of sound. | Rockets commonly attain speeds faster than the speed of sound. Ordinary passenger airplanes do not. A "sonic boom" similar to thunder can be heard when an object "breaks the sound barrier" and travels faster than the speed of sound. |