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How loud was the Saturn V rocket?

170–175dB maxnear the exhaust plume

The Saturn V radiated a sound power level of about 204 dB re 1 pW, the figure behind the popular "204 dB" claim. That is a measure of total acoustic power, not the pressure level a listener hears. Sound pressure levels near the plume of a large rocket are about 170 to 175 dB, and far lower at the 3.5 miles (4 km) where spectators were kept.

Level
170–175 dB maxunweighted maximum sound level
Daily limit
No safe unprotected exposureNIOSH, at the loud end

What the numbers mean

How it was measured. Maximum overall sound pressure level (unweighted, re 20 µPa) near the plume of a large rocket, as given by BYU acoustician Kent Gee. The widely quoted 204 dB is the Saturn V's sound POWER level (re 1 pW), a different quantity that is not comparable with the rest of this scale.

Rocket loudness is often misreported because two different decibel scales get mixed up. A 2022 paper in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America by Gee and colleagues, written to correct online myths, puts the Saturn V's overall sound power level at about 204 dB re 1 pW, and notes that its sound pressure levels were lower and depended on source size, directivity and propagation. In Physics Today, Gee explains that a large rocket may generate a sound power level above 200 dB re 1 pW while maximum overall pressure levels near the plume are about 170 to 175 dB re 20 µPa.

The raw power is still enormous. The Saturn V's engines produced 45 GW of mechanical power, and less than 1% of that became sound, yet it radiated nearly 250 MW of sound power. Gee compares that with a petrol lawnmower, which radiates a few tens of milliwatts: it would take around 10 billion lawnmowers to match.

Spectators were kept 3.5 miles (4 km) from the pad. The BYU work also rejects the stories that the sound melted concrete or set grass fires more than a mile away; the team suggests any such effects came from the plume's heat or debris. Compared with NASA's newer Space Launch System, the Saturn V produced less thrust but was about 2 dB louder, which may reflect its clustered first-stage engines.

How long is safe?

At 175 dB the level is above 140 dB, where harm can be immediate.

LevelNIOSH limit (85 dBA, 3 dB rule)OSHA limit (90 dBA, 5 dB rule)UK/EU 80 dB(A) action value reached afterUK/EU 85 dB(A) action value reached after
170 dB maxunder 1 sunder 1 sunder 1 sunder 1 s
175 dB maxunder 1 sunder 1 sunder 1 sunder 1 s

Times are for a whole day’s exposure, with the rest of the day quiet. The workplace limits were written for adults at work, not for children. Work out a mixed day with the noise dose calculator.

Protecting your hearing

Launch spectators were kept 3.5 miles (4 km) from the pad. At public viewing sites for large rockets, earplugs or earmuffs are sensible, especially for children, because much of the energy is low-frequency rumble you feel as well as hear.

Earplug and earmuff ratings (NRR in the US, SNR in the UK and EU) are lab figures; real-world protection is usually lower. How to read the ratings.

Compared with sounds nearby

Using midpoints of each range. Energy multiplies by 10 every 10 dB; perceived loudness roughly doubles (why).

  • Chrysler air raid siren (137–138 dB): this has about 3,162× its sound energy and sounds about 11.3× as loud.
  • Space Shuttle launch (142–155 dB max): this has about 251× its sound energy and sounds about 5.3× as loud.
  • Loudest car stereo (181–184.9 dB max): it has about 11× the sound energy of this and sounds about 2.1× as loud.

Questions

Was the Saturn V really 204 dB?

204 dB is its sound power level (re 1 pW), a measure of total acoustic output. The sound pressure you would hear is much lower: about 170 to 175 dB near the plume of a large rocket, according to BYU's Kent Gee.

Could the Saturn V's sound melt concrete?

No. BYU researchers concluded it was not loud enough to melt concrete or start grass fires more than a mile away; any such damage would have come from heat or debris.

Was the Saturn V louder than SLS?

Slightly. Reporting on BYU's measurements says the Saturn V produced about 2 dB more noise than SLS despite less thrust.

Sources

  1. Saturn-V sound levels: A letter to the Redditor, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (Gee et al., 2022) via PubMed. Supports: Sound power level about 204 dB re 1 pW (not SPL).The overall power level was approximately 204 dB re 1 pW, whereas its lesser sound pressure levels were impacted by source size, directivity, and propagation effectsChecked 2026-11-02.
  2. The roar of a rocket, Physics Today (Kent L. Gee). Supports: Power vs pressure distinction.Although a large rocket may generate a sound-power level in excess of 200 dB re 1 pW, maximum overall pressure levels near the rocket plume will be considerably lessChecked 2026-11-02.
  3. The roar of a rocket, Physics Today (Kent L. Gee). Supports: dB_low 170 / dB_high 175 near the plume.somewhere around 170–175 dB re 20 μ PaChecked 2026-11-02.
  4. The roar of a rocket, Physics Today (Kent L. Gee). Supports: 250 MW sound power.Even so, the Saturn V radiated nearly 250 MW of sound powerChecked 2026-11-02.
  5. No, NASA's massive Saturn V rocket didn't melt concrete with sound or set fires a mile away, Space.com. Supports: Spectator distance.Saturn V launch viewers were kept 3.5 miles (4 kilometers) away from the pad for safetyChecked 2026-11-02.
  6. New study reveals Starship's true sound levels; shows differences between SLS and Falcon 9, NASASpaceflight.com. Supports: About 2 dB louder than SLS.although the Saturn V produced less overall thrust than SLS, it produced two decibels more noise than SLSChecked 2026-11-02.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have ringing in your ears, muffled hearing or any change in your hearing, see an audiologist or your doctor.