Falcon 9 ascent sonic boom measurements in Ventura County, California

Reports of audible sonic booms along the south-central California coast during SpaceX Falcon 9 launch ascents prompted measurements in Ventura County during summer 2024. A total of 132 measurements were made over six launches, with 16-25 measurements per launch. The maximum overpressure measured was 1.90 psf (133 dB), but most measured booms had an overpressure below 0.5 psf and durations of several seconds. Two launches had appreciably lower overpressures and smaller terrestrial footprint, indicating that both meteorology and launch azimuth are important factors in terrestrial boom audibility. Agreement between this dataset and environmental assessment predictions was marginal.