It is not without reason that SpaceX’s spectacular achievements arouse widespread admiration. However, little is said about the fact that all this is done without significant respect for the natural environment and… human comfort. The problem is sonic games, i.e. the noise that comes with breaking the sound barrier. It has become the subject of interest of scientists, who warn about its potential effects on the inhabitants of the launch area and the mentioned environment.
Said thunder is createdwhen an object moves faster than sound (approx. 1235 km/h in standard conditions). It causes a rapid compression of air, which causes enormous noise and an increase in pressure, which is strongly felt by living organisms. In the case of a Super Heavy rocket, the noise reaches up to 146 decibels – a level comparable to a gun shot at close range.
During an October SpaceX test in Port Isabel (9.7 km from Starbase), a bang triggered car alarms and observers reported feeling intense “pressure on the chest.” This is nothing more than the effect of a powerful sonic boom.
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You wouldn’t want to live near Starbase
If I moved to the Starbase area and was excited to watch the wonders of modern technology take off and land, I would probably enjoy it until the first such spectacle. You should know that sonic booms can be dangerous to human health. Levels above 140 decibels carry the risk of serious hearing damage. The closer you get to the base, the greater the possibility of minor damage to buildings, especially those with a rather weak structure. Many of you probably have in mind American houses built slightly differently than in Europe or Poland. There, the emphasis is on speed and low cost of construction, which translates into durability.
The animals probably aren’t happy either
It looks a bit like this: a particularly noisy neighbor moves into your neighborhood and turns your life upside down with his actions. This is more or less how (to greatly simplify) animals “feel” it. In the Boca Chica area (where Starbase is located), scientists observed stress reactions among animals. Hares and deer fled in panic, and birds gathered in large flocks, abandoning their typical activities.
SpaceX declares that it monitors the impact of launches on the environment, but there is no long-term data in this regard. The effects of these interactions are not entirely clear to us. American services are currently conducting research on Falcon missiles in Florida, but similar analyzes for the Super Heavy model are just beginning. The question is also whether, after Trump takes power in the White House and introduces Musk (called the eminence grise next to Trump) into the advisory structure, these studies will be conducted similarly scrupulously.
It is worth pointing out one more thing. SpaceX bought most of the houses in one of the more noise-prone villages in the Boca Chica region, but several owners remained on their properties. For this reason, the FAA requires SpaceX to have insurance that will cover compensation claims in situations where minor damage to buildings on these properties occurs. That’s fine, but it doesn’t solve the problem of considerable discomfort for the residents who stayed there. They say that “no harm comes to those who want it” and basically these people chose the Starbase neighborhood instead of attractive real estate purchase terms. Well, these people were there first.
Hundreds of launches a year. People are afraid
SpaceX says directly: in the coming years, up to several hundred launches may take place per year. Let’s assume there will be “only” 400 of them. That’s more than one start a day. Imagine this. Every day you will feel the effects of a colossus taking off or landing, which generates a sonic boom. Every day your house may break down a bit. The animals will go crazy, die, and not want to breed. The FAA said additional restrictions may be imposed if noise reaches “significant” levels.
But let’s not kid ourselves. We must say it clearly: the noise reduction possibilities for rockets are limited. It is possible to move takeoffs and landings to less populated areas, but such changes would involve huge costs and logistical problems. SpaceX is neither a government agency nor a charity. SpaceX is supposed to make money. It is unlikely to be possible to force corporations to take such a step.
Super Heave is, of course, a revolution in space exploration, but its exploitation currently comes at the expense of human health, the well-being of wildlife and the quality of life of local communities. What’s next? It is unknown. Scientists say one thing, regulations say something else, and business… business has its own rules and will continue to do so. Over time, we will talk more about such situations – especially since space exploration is not slowing down at all. On the contrary.
Source: antyweb.pl
