Sonic Booms Have People Talking, Now Vandenberg Is Opening the Conversation

With rocket launches increasing and sonic booms rattling parts of the Central Coast, Vandenberg Space Force Base is introducing a new community “Mission Update” speaker series to inform residents about its operations and open dialogue about launch impacts.

As part of the series, the base will host its first event in Lompoc to provide updates on operations and address concerns about sonic booms.

According to the base, the initiative is intended to provide clearer communication about launch activity and create opportunities for community dialogue.

The event is scheduled for Friday, February 20, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Dick DeWees Community & Senior Center in Lompoc. Admission is free and open to the public.

Scheduled speakers include Col. James T. Horne III, Commander of Space Launch Delta 30, who will discuss the base’s launch operations and national defense responsibilities.

“This speaker series is an opportunity to share updates on our mission, address community concerns, and strengthen the partnership we have with our neighbors,” Col. Horne said in a statement.

Dr. Kent Gee of Brigham Young University will also speak and present findings from the ongoing ECOBOOM research program, which examines how rocket noise travels through the atmosphere and affects nearby communities.

The Lompoc event is the first in the speaker series. Additional sessions are planned in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

As community concerns have grown about sonic booms following launches from Vandenberg, the ECOBOOM research program was launched. Residents have reported shaking walls, rattling windows, and distressed pets following some launches.

Launched in June 2024, the ECOBOOM program is a research partnership between Vandenberg Space Force Base, Brigham Young University, California State University-Bakersfield, and other agencies.

The program studies how sonic booms generated by rocket launches travel through the atmosphere and how they are experienced on the ground.

As part of the project, researchers have tracked 23 launches and collected 477 acoustic recordings using monitoring stations throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura counties since mid-2024. The data helps scientists better understand the factors that influence how and where sonic booms are heard.

According to Gee, researchers compare real-world sound measurements with modeling simulations to evaluate how launch trajectories and weather patterns affect boom intensity.

Public meetings held in 2025 in Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Lompoc discussed concerns related to home safety, wildlife disturbance, and quality of life. An Environmental Impact Statement process was also initiated to examine the long-term effects of increased launch activity.

According to the base, Vandenberg Space Force Base serves as a hub for space access and advanced testing, supports more than 54 strategic mission partners, and hosts all three U.S. Space Force Field Commands. The base reports an estimated $5.5 billion annual economic impact on the regional economy.