A sonic boom was reported by residents across the area on Tuesday afternoon, with some claiming to have heard an explosion and felt a strong shaking effect in their homes and businesses. According to Eric Gilmore, Escambia County Public Safety Director, Santa Rosa County officials were notified that Eglin Air Force Base was the source of the sound.
The boom occurred at 1:39 p.m. EST, shortly after SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico, south of Panama City. The incident did not appear to be a surprise to locals, as they had been aware of a SpaceX capsule on its way back from an international space station mission.
Residents in multiple areas reported feeling and hearing the sonic boom, including Milton, Destin, Hammock Bay-Freeport, Walnut Hill, Enon, Century Florida, Excel, Al, among others. Some likened the sound to an explosion, while others attributed it to a loud noise.
NASA officials confirmed that the Dragon spacecraft returned thousands of pounds of supplies and scientific experiments from its mission to the International Space Station on Tuesday. The incident highlights the potential for sonic booms to occur during space-related activities near Eglin Air Force Base.
Source: https://www.northescambia.com/2024/12/officials-source-of-big-boom-was-eglin-air-force-base