By ALEXANDREA BAILEY
editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com
SpaceX announced on Monday, July 29, that citizens residing near Starbase at Bocca Chica will soon be experiencing sonic booms.
This announcement comes as SpaceX moves toward its goal of making life multi-planetary. To achieve this, SpaceX must accomplish “full and rapid reusability of the entire launch system,” according to the space-flight company.
SpaceX engineers have designed Starship’s upper stage and the Super Heavy booster to be capable of returning to the launch site. While making its return, as the space-flight vehicle decelerates from super-sonic speeds, communities surrounding Starbase in Boca Chica will hear an audible sonic boom.
A news release issued by SpaceX describes a sonic boom as “a brief, thunder-like noise a person on the ground hears when an aircraft or other object travels faster than the speed of sound.”
The news release states “As a fast-moving object travels through the air, it pushes the air aside and creates a wave of pressure which eventually reaches the ground. The change in air pressure associated with a sonic boom, known as overpressure, increases only a few pounds per square foot.” The release compares the change of pressure to “riding down several floors in an elevator.”
SpaceX alleges “The only impact to those in the surrounding area of a sonic boom is the brief noise.” However, SpaceX stated variables, including the mass, shape, size, altitude and flight path of objects traveling at high speeds, and the weather conditions, affect the intensity of sonic booms.
SpaceX confirmed that the area directly beneath the vehicle’s flight path will experience the strongest effects of the sonic boom’s pressure change. In addition, SpaceX alleges that the Super Heavy’s sonic booms will not pose any risk of injury to local populations.
According to the news release, the Super Heavy’s sonic booms will be more powerful than those generated by Falcon landings.
Members of the community seem to have mixed feelings regarding this announcement.
Mark Day of Port Isabel and his wife have experienced the last four launches while living in a fifth wheel and say they have never had any issues.
“I feel the sonic boom they have mentioned is a very minimal price to pay for the future of our space program. The sonic boom may be loud, but it will only happen as frequently as every couple of months as the program moves forward,” stated Day.
On the other side of the fence, some fear potential hearing loss and possible harm to wildlife.
“Although there is historical data on very short sonic booms and damage to structures and to human hearing, there is little to no information on the expected multiple sonic booms seven to nine minutes after launch projected by SpaceX. The damage to wildlife may be incalculable. As usual, the LGRV is just a test bed for Mr. Musk,” stated former Port Isabel Harbor Master John Hancock.
No date for the next launch has been set as SpaceX waits for clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration [FAA].
The FAA has multiple public hearings regarding SpaceX flight activity slated in the next few weeks. The first one will be taking place on Aug. 13, at 1-3 p.m. and 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the South Padre Island Convention Center. The second one will be taking place a couple of days later, on Aug. 15, from 1-3 p.m. and 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Port Isabel Event Center. A third meeting will be taking place virtually on Aug. 20, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. To access the virtual meeting, visit https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XiuGxJWtTkK3a84d8yFhVw#/registration (Webinar ID: 857 9139 8585, Passcode: 864394) or dial in at (888) 788-0099.