Kellison ’25 Publishes Journal Article on Rocket Acoustics
Makayle Kellison ’25 has published a scholarly article in a noted acoustics journal examining the sound levels of rocket launches.
December 14, 2023
As a culmination of a year’s worth of research on rocket acoustics that started at Rollins, physics major Makayle Kellison ’25 has published a peer-reviewed article in JASA Express Letters, a scholarly journal devoted to important new research results and technical discussion in all fields of acoustics.
The article—which is featured on the cover of the journal’s latest edition—furthers results gleaned from the November 2022 launch of the Artemis I rocket, which marked a new era of lunar space travel. Kellison first worked alongside physics professor Whitney Coyle, fellow physics major Maggie Kuffskie ’25, and a research team from Brigham Young University (BYU) led by professor Kent Gee to measure the sound levels produced by a rocket launch and their impact on everything from the rocket itself to the launchpad, surrounding communities, and the environment. Kellison then went on to publish a paper in the Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics (POMA) and work alongside Gee once again during a summer research experience at BYU through the National Science Foundation.
All of these efforts have culminated in Kellison’s most recent journal article, which builds on previous findings by reporting a sound power analysis of Space Launch Systems (SLS) and comparing NASA’s current lunar rocket to the Saturn V, the original launch vehicle that was developed under the Apollo program in the late ’60s. Additionally, Kellison just returned from Sydney, Australia, where she presented findings from her multiple research experiences at the annual meeting of the Acoustical Society of America.
- Categories:
- Physics |
- Academics |
- Highlights
Recent Stories
February 20, 2026
What It’s Like … to Get Out of My Comfort Zone
From her first time traveling abroad to a recent service experience in the Everglades, Taylor Evans ’28 reflects on how stepping into the unknown has become one of her greatest teachers.
February 19, 2026
Pool ’26 and Greenberg Co-Author Book Chapter on Culinary Diplomacy
Public policy and political economy major Joseph Pool ’26 collaborated with religion professor Yudit Greenberg on research exploring how shared meals can bridge cultural and religious divides—work now published in a new academic volume.
February 19, 2026
Keen ’70 ’71MBA ’10H Receives Award from Orlando Economic Partnership
The Orlando Economic Partnership (OEP) will honor Allan E. Keen ’70 ’71MBA ’10H with the 2026 James B. Greene Award, recognizing his lifelong commitment to advancing the Orlando region’s economic prosperity.