Starship Super Heavy acoustics: Comparing launch noise from Flights 5 and 6

• DOI: 10.1121/10.0035925
• Publication Date: 2025-02-25T13:42:26Z
• Authors: Kent L. Gee; Noah L. Pulsipher; Makayle S. Kellison; Grant W. Hart; Logan T. Mathews; Mark C. Anderson

This Letter analyzes launch noise from Starship Super Heavy's Flights 5 and 6. While Flight-5 data covered 9.7–35.5 km, the stations during Flight 6 spanned 1.0–35.5 km. A comparison of A-weighted and unweighted maximum and exposure levels is made between flights and with an updated environmental assessment (EA). Key findings include: (a) the two flights' noise levels diverge beyond 10 km, (b) EA models overestimate A-weighted metrics, and (c) the acoustic energy from a Starship launch is equivalent to 2.2 Space Launch System launches or ∼11 Falcon 9 launches. These measurements help predict Starship's noise levels around Kennedy Space Center.