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Steven not to hijack the thread but could you expand a bit on the above. You have emphasized 'theoretical' and that to me means you are using the word pointedly.
However, as I understand the history... the whole point of the American program was to find out if it was possible to break the sound barrier. they thought they could but they did not know they could.
As no one knew the answer and the whole program was developed to find the answer it seems to me that they had a theory and they tested it?
brian
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Brian,
A theoretical barrier is a fundamental barrier imposed by the "laws of nature" and cannot be overcome by technological considerations.
The speed of sound barrier clearly does not fit this definition. Bullets for example could exceed the speed of sound before an aircraft was developed that could do the same.
In this case the speed of sound was a technological barrier that was eventually overcome.
The debate is whether the speed of light is a fundamental barrier or a technological barrier. Based on current observations it would appear to be the former.
Particle accelerators can accelerate protons up to 0.9999c.
There is a law of diminishing returns. As you increase the amount of energy to accelerate protons, the corresponding increase in proton velocity becomes progressively less.
To accelerate protons up to speed c requires the expenditure of an infinite amount of energy.
Regards
Steven