A late-night sonic boom jolted residents across Los Angeles on Saturday, as a SpaceX Dragon capsule made its return to Earth. Around 10:45 p.m., startled Angelenos reported a loud explosion-like sound followed by noticeable rattling, prompting fears of an earthquake or an unknown emergency.
Residents Caught Off Guard by Late-night Noise
The boom reached neighborhoods stretching from Santa Monica to Fresno, causing confusion and a flood of social media reactions. Many rushed to Reddit and TikTok, seeking answers after hearing what some assumed was an explosion or even a television malfunction. One TikTok user, @limeysublime, shared footage writing: “It was SO loud I genuinely thought we were about to all go out like the dinosaurs.” In Corona, a commenter named Felix Jordan described hyperventilating after the boom, convinced it marked “my last day on Earth.”
Local resident Trent McGee of Orange was lying in bed watching Ferris Bueller’s Day Off when the incident shook his home. “I thought my fish tank blew up,” he said. After inspecting his 360-gallon aquarium and ensuring his exotic porcupinefish were safe, he turned to Reddit to uncover the truth. McGee later admitted he wished he’d known about the sonic boom beforehand so he could have witnessed the capsule’s descent in the sky.
What Just Fell Back to Earth Over California?
According to NASA, the SpaceX Dragon capsule — carrying approximately 6,700 pounds of supplies and equipment for the International Space Station (ISS) — undocked from the orbital outpost at 9:05 a.m. on Friday.
Nearly 36 hours later, it entered the Earth’s atmosphere en route to a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast. Just an hour before the sonic boom, SpaceX had posted that the Dragon would “announce its arrival with a brief sonic boom” prior to landing.
This mission was part of ongoing resupply efforts coordinated between the space agency and SpaceX, ensuring critical cargo reaches and returns from the ISS. While the boom startled many, the reentry itself was routine and closely monitored, as are all operations involving spacecraft returning at supersonic speeds.
Recurring Sonic Booms Stir Debate Near Launch Sites
Although Saturday night’s boom was unexpected for many in Los Angeles, sonic booms have become a regular phenomenon for those living near Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County. SpaceX and the U.S. Space Force have acknowledged that frequent rocket launches and landings in the area generate disruptive noise.
Local resident Brooke Heflin of Camarillo described the experience: “Right when you’re getting into a deep sleep it’s like a big boom — the walls shake, the windows shake, the dogs start barking. You wake up to an explosion, basically.” He added, “And then your mind finally becomes clear: It’s SpaceX again. And then you have to go back to sleep.”
Despite mounting concerns from the community, military officials last year dismissed appeals to limit or soften these sonic events. As launches increase, the disturbances have become more frequent, with SpaceX planning over 90 launches from the base by 2026.