South Texas Families Sue SpaceX for Sonic Boom Home Damage

A coalition of 80 plaintiffs from Laguna Vista, Port Isabel and South Padre Island filed the lawsuit Thursday in the U.S. Southern District of Texas Court, accusing SpaceX of gross negligence and trespassing.[1][2] The suit targets damage from 11 rocket tests between April 2023 and October 2025 at the company's Starbase facility near Boca Chica, involving 400-foot, two-stage Starship rockets that produce prolonged sonic booms during launches and landings.[1][2] These blasts allegedly harmed 53 homes owned by the plaintiffs, including several shared by couples, with vibrations capable of cracking walls, windows and roofs.[1][2] The complaint highlights the Starship's inaugural 2023 launch, when its 33-engine booster obliterated the launch pad and hurled debris three-quarters of a mile, underscoring the rockets' raw power.[1][2] Residents in these tight-knit Rio Grande Valley beach communities, popular for tourism and retirees, endured multiple noise assaults per test due to the rockets' dual-stage design.[1][3] Lead attorney Benigno Martinez and SpaceX did not immediately comment, and no court hearings are scheduled.[2] This class-action push reflects mounting tensions between SpaceX's aggressive testing at Starbase—key to NASA's Artemis program and Mars ambitions—and local quality of life in Cameron County.[5] Earlier reports varied on plaintiff counts, from 58 to over 70 households, but court records confirm 80 individuals.[1][3][4] The suit seeks a jury trial, damages, court costs and attorney fees, marking the latest clash in South Texas' rocket frontier.