Experimental rocket shock diamond - GIF

[Altair]

Experimental rocket shock diamond.




Previously:

NACA ramjet engine - photo
NASA additively manufactured thrust chamber - photos
NASA thrust rocket chamber fabrication - photo
NASA SR-71A testing a linear aerospike - photo
Jet engine convergent-divergent nozzle - GIF

[Inner]

Since I had to look it up. From Wikipedia: Shock diamonds (also known as Mach diamonds or thrust diamonds) are a formation of standing wave patterns that appear in the supersonic exhaust plume of an aerospace propulsion system, such as a supersonic jet engine, rocket, ramjet, or scramjet, when it is operated in an atmosphere. The "diamonds" are actually a complex flow field made visible by abrupt changes in local density and pressure as the exhaust passes through a series of standing shock waves and expansion fans. Mach diamonds are named after Ernst Mach, the physicist who first described them.

[Toolmaker51]

Recognize that unique squeak at shutdown?
wait for it.........

Always thought that was landing gear of the Planet Express. Turns out it's Leela shutting down thrust!