Texas residents sue Elon Musk's SpaceX saying massive sonic booms have damaged their homes [View all]

Source: The Independent

Saturday 02 May 2026 22:27 EDT


Dozens of homeowners are suing Elon Musk’s SpaceX, alleging that sonic booms from rocket testing damaged their Texas homes. The lawsuit was filed last week in federal court by 80 South Texas residents. They accused SpaceX of gross negligence and trespassing from sonic booms that happened during 11 rocket tests between April 2023 and October 2025, according to the Texas Tribune.

Because SpaceX tests involved rockets that launched and returned, sometimes the homes faced prolonged periods of damaging noise, according to the suit.

A sonic boom is a wave created by an object moving faster than the speed of sound. According to the U.S. Air Force, some strong sonic booms can cause damage such as shattered glass. SpaceX did not respond to the Tribune about the lawsuit. The Independent has also reached out to SpaceX.

The residents say that during a Starship rocket launch in 2023, the force from the 33-engine booster destroyed the launch pad and sent debris as far as three-quarters of a mile away.

Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/spacex-texas-sonic-boom-lawsuit-elon-musk-b2969596.html