Vandenberg Space Force Base held the first event in its new community speakers series Friday evening in Lompoc, bringing base leaders face-to-face with residents who have questions and concerns about rocket launches and their effects on the surrounding area.
Base leaders gave a presentation on their mission and took questions from a packed room.
"I think the central message is we are much, much more than just a launch base," one base official said.
Base leaders said the mission update events are meant to keep neighbors informed and create more space for questions about launches and sonic booms.
Lompoc resident Janet Blevins said she appreciated the presentation, but the launches have been taking a toll on her 40-year-old home.
"The rocket launches shake my entire house," Blevins said. "The cracks in the foundation, the crack between the cement patio and the door is getting wide... It's very upsetting."
Residents also raised questions about how sonic booms can affect people differently, including those with hearing aids.
"When the first stage reenters the earth, it gives off a sonic boom that is very penetrating to the ears," said Lompoc resident Walter Trezza.
One of the night's speakers, Dr. Kent Gee, said part of the challenge isn't just measuring the noise, it's figuring out what counts as impact, especially as launch activity continues to grow.
"What is our threshold for determining impact? We really don't know for rockets very well and the reason is because we haven't invested in those kinds of studies," Gee said.
Col. Jim Horne, Commander of Space Launch Delta 30, said the series is meant to keep the community informed while the base looks for ways to minimize impacts as operations increase.
"We are literally writing the science behind some of this. We have some of the leading researchers in the nation studying the sound and the acoustics and the sonic booms," Col. Horne said.
One woman in the crowd expressed her support for the launches and what they mean for her.
"I am just thrilled every time I hear one of those launches go off, we say the sounds of freedom," she said.
Base leaders said more community sessions are planned across the Central Coast as rocket launches continue to increase.
