Rocket noise analyzed in Florida as Texas homeowners sue SpaceX for damages

Researchers from Rollins College are conducting a study in Cape Canaveral, Florida, to measure noise and vibrations from rocket launches, aiming to create a contour map of acoustic impacts across the 1.9-square-mile city. The study, funded partly by the city and the college, will assess long-term structural damage risks like cracking and foundation settling as SpaceX increases launch frequency and prepares to bring the Starship-Super Heavy rocket system to Florida’s Space Coast. Meanwhile, 58 homeowners near SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, filed a federal lawsuit on April 30, alleging their homes are repeatedly damaged by 'unprecedented acoustic energy, noise, vibrations, and sonic booms' from Starship launches. The lawsuit highlights the extreme noise levels generated by the rocket, which stands 403 feet tall and is powered by 33 Raptor engines, producing 16.7 million pounds of thrust at liftoff—far surpassing the 8.8 million pounds of NASA’s Space Launch System used for the Artemis II mission. A Brigham Young University study previously determined that one Starship launch generates noise equivalent to at least 10 SpaceX Falcon 9 launches or four to six NASA SLS launches. The Artemis II mission, launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 1, carried four astronauts around the moon. SpaceX is now preparing the third-generation Starship v3 for its maiden launch from Starbase, with a potential date as early as May 15, according to a Federal Aviation Administration advisory. The Rollins College study will use sound-level meters, rooftop vibration sensors, window-mounted accelerometers, and air-quality sensors at locations including City Hall, a water reclamation facility, and condominium complexes in Cape Canaveral. Data will incorporate weather variables such as wind speed, temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure to evaluate noise exposure and structural impacts. The project costs approximately $20,000, with the city covering $13,000 and the college contributing the remainder. Whitney Coyle, chair of Rollins College’s physics department, noted that combining resident reports of vibrations with acoustic data will provide valuable insights. The study aims to inform local leaders about potential long-term effects as SpaceX’s launch activities intensify, particularly with the introduction of the larger Starship system.