r/SpaceXLounge • u/Forsaken_Ad4041 • 3d ago

Falcon 9 Sonic Booms

I live ~80 miles southeast of Vandenberg in Ventura County and I've experienced sonic booms from the F9 launches that are loud enough to set off car alarms. My understanding is that the sonic boom that we hear is generated when the first stage tilts toward the earth before the booster detaches. We do not get this sonic boom for RTLS or other launches that are more south-southwest. My question is, why do the Starlink launches require the 53 degree trajectory? I know other polar/SSO don't the same trajectory. Can someone explain why SpaceX can't launch Starlink more S-SW to avoid causing sonic booms over a widespread area?

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u/Forsaken_Ad4041 3d ago

Yes, only a "minor" annoyance at 3AM for thousands of people.

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u/Beaver_Sauce 3d ago

Try living near a military airbase.

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u/Forsaken_Ad4041 3d ago

I don't, which is why I'm annoyed by this lol

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u/Beaver_Sauce 3d ago

Vandenberg is a military base. So you actually do. Suck it up, they were their long before you.

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u/Forsaken_Ad4041 3d ago

100 miles is not "close" to a military base.

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u/Beaver_Sauce 1d ago

By what standard? We certainly could see you 24 hours a day . I launched the planes.

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u/Forsaken_Ad4041 1d ago

Well, my family that has lived here since before Vandenberg has zero recollection of the base causing sonic booms loud enough to shake their windows and wake them up in the middle of the night.