Texas residents sue Elon Musk’s SpaceX saying massive sonic booms have damaged their homes

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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.

Some South Texas residents are suing Elon Musk’s SpaceX claiming sonic booms from rocket launches have damaged their homes (AFP via Getty Images)

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.

Specific damage to the homes was not included in the lawsuit, according to the Tribune. However, the filing stated that booms can cause damage to walls, windows and roofs.

The filing asks for an unspecified amount of money.

The Federal Aviation Administration in 2025 authorized SpaceX to launch up to 25 rockets per year from South Texas, according to the Tribune. That is five times more than the year before.

SpaceX has also seen massive growth in the South Texas region in recent years. Company employees founded the city Starbase, Texas, in May 2025.

Musk founded SpaceX in 2002 and currently serves as the company’s CEO (Getty Images)

Rocket launches have closed an eight-mile stretch of beach near the South Texas launch pad, the Tribune noted. That issue has led to a separate lawsuit about how often the company can close the area.

SpaceX was founded in 2002 and Musk currently serves as the company’s CEO. A recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission revealed that only Musk has the power to remove himself from the company.

The SEC filing comes as SpaceX prepares to offer stocks in the company, which could happen as early as this summer, according to the Wall Street Journal.

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