Scientists say that there is one big problem with Elon Musk-owned SpaceX's massive starship; what is it and how damaging is it?

Researchers have discovered that the loud sonic boom of SpaceX's enormous Starship rocket has the potential to destroy ground-based structures.

The team led by physicist Kent Gee of Brigham Young University wrote in a paper published in the journal JASA Express Letters that measurements made during the Elon Musk-led company's fifth test flight last month indicate the resulting wave of sound and air pressure could pose greater risk of structural damage, such as glass breakage and falling bric-a-brac in the nearby village of Port Isabel, as quoted in a report by Futurism.

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The loudness of SpaceX's reliable Falcon 9 rocket is about ten times that of Starship, the biggest and most potent rocket ever constructed. During the test flight in October, Gee told the New York Times that the noise was comparable to being 200 feet away from a Boeing 747 during liftoff, even though they were miles away.

When Starship's Super Heavy booster returned to the launchpad to be captured by the company's landing tower, pressure levels peaked at an ear-shattering 144.6 decibels, far louder than a concert and as piercing as fireworks and gunfire, according to Houston-based sound consultant Terracon, which also took measurements during the launch.

Neighbouring communities, who will also have to endure another explosive test launch later today, may understandably be extremely concerned about that. Musk has a well-established distaste for environmental laws.

Jared Hockema, the city manager of Port Isabel, told the NYT that they are all for economic development and the work SpaceX is doing, and they just want economic development that takes place in a manner that follows the law and does not hurt existing residents or the environment.

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Musk has frequently complained that rules designed to protect the surrounding environment are pointless red tape and has gone as far as mocking concerns over the destruction of nearby bird nests.

Now that his close ally president-elect Donald Trump is back in power, those rules could be eroded, allowing SpaceX to turn a deaf ear to the damage its launches are causing.

FAQs:

What's the major issue with SpaceX's Starship?
The Starship's sonic booms are loud enough to cause structural damage, such as broken windows, in nearby areas.

How loud are the sonic booms from the Starship?
The sonic booms can reach 144.6 decibels, which is significantly louder than a concert and comparable to standing near a Boeing 747 during takeoff.