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

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.

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.

"[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.