SpaceX’s Starship sonic booms spark study on sound impact near launch sites

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Published  November 19, 2024 10:07pm EST
FOX 35 Orlando
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Expert: Noise 'an issue' when Starship moves to Florida

Ken Kremer, founder and managing editor of Space UpClose, joined FOX 35 News+ to talk about Tuesday's Starship test flight in Texas, what's next as SpaceX looks to begin Starship launches in Florida and noise concerns stemming from the sonic boom that comes from the Super Heavy booster launch. Kremer also discusses why it is critical that the leak aboard the International Space Station is fixed -- and soon.

The Brief

    • SpaceX's Starship, the largest and most powerful rocket, generates sonic booms heard up to 20 miles away, with noise levels ranging from a rock concert to a vacuum cleaner depending on the distance.  
    • Scientists, led by BYU's Kent Gee, are studying Starship's acoustic footprint, gathering data to assess its effects on people and the environment during test flights.  
    • With future Starship launches planned in Florida, researchers are evaluating potential noise pollution challenges for nearby communities.  

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - As SpaceX prepares for future Starship launches from Florida, researchers are turning their attention to the spacecraft’s powerful sonic booms and their impact on nearby communities.  

Starship, the world’s largest and most powerful rocket, generates unparalleled noise and energy during liftoff, with sonic booms that can be heard miles away. 

"It’s the largest, most powerful — and the loudest," said Kent Gee, a physics professor at Brigham Young University, who is leading a study on Starship’s acoustic footprint.  

Gee and his team attended the sixth Starship test flight in Texas on Tuesday, gathering sound data to understand how the spacecraft affects people and the environment. 

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"[To] look at actual data to figure out what the data shows and how that actually impacts people, and the environment," Gee explained.  

Their findings reveal how far the rocket’s sound travels:  

  • Six miles away: Noise levels are comparable to a rock concert.
  • Ten miles away: Sounds similar to people shouting.
  • Twenty miles away: Resembles the hum of a vacuum cleaner.

The implications of these sound levels are significant for Florida’s Space Coast, where future launches could raise concerns about noise pollution. Ken Kremer, founder of Space UpClose, noted.

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"That will become an issue in the future when it launches from here," he said.

Gee described Starship’s liftoff as an extraordinary experience. 

"Imagine standing 200 feet away from an aircraft — one of these large aircraft taking off," he said, emphasizing the immense energy unleashed by the rocket.  

As SpaceX continues to develop Starship, studies like this aim to help local communities prepare for the unique challenges posed by the world’s most powerful spacecraft.

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