Sonic boom rattles Southern California as SpaceX Dragon streaks across sky before landing

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Sonic boom rattles Southern California as SpaceX Dragon streaks across sky before landing
A SpaceX vehicle that has spent about a month docked at the International Space Station on a resupply mission triggered a sonic boom as it made landing off the coast of California on Saturday night, after many reported seeing the craft streak across the sky.
NASA provided live coverage as the uncrewed spacecraft began its return voyage Thursday, May 22. The Dragon capsule, developed by Elon Musk's commercial spaceflight company to deliver cargo and crews to the orbital outpost, embarked on a long voyage ending with a splashdown landing Saturday, May 24 off the coast of California.
The vehicle arrived in April with plenty of food, equipment and other supplies for the seven astronauts currently living aboard the station. And it didn't leave emptyhanded: It was loaded up with scientific research samples and hardware.
Here's what to know about the resupply mission:
What is the International Space Station?
For 25 years, the International Space Station has been stationed in low-Earth orbit, typically about 250 miles high, where it has been home to astronauts from all over the world.
The orbital laboratory is operated through a global partnership of space agencies, including NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
More than 280 spacefarers from 23 countries have visited the International Space Station, including 169 from the United States alone, according to NASA. Bigger than a six-bedroom house, the outpost has six sleeping quarters, two bathrooms, a gym and a 360-degree view bay window.
As of now, seven members of Expedition 73, including three Americans, are living aboard the ISS – conducting scientific research and working to maintain the station.
Social media was flooded with comments in reaction to the sonic boom, and many reported seeing the Dragon as it streaked across the sky as far north as the San Francisco Bay Area and Central Valley.
Dragon will also announce its arrival with a brief sonic boom prior to splashing down in the Pacific Ocean — SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 25, 2025
Here is some great video caught it coming thru OC. pic.twitter.com/hMr1zdgiqr — Drone Daddy News, OC (@BPW_SERVICES714) May 25, 2025
SpaceX Dragon's departure from ISS
The crew members aboard the station spent time Wednesday, May 21, loading and securing a variety of cargo inside the Dragon spacecraft ahead of its scheduled departure.
The Dragon has spent 30 days docked to the Harmony module, a port and passageway onto the station facing away from Earth, after arriving April 22 with nearly 6,700 pounds of supplies. The spacecraft launched April 21 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral, Florida, for SpaceX's 32nd commercial resupply services mission.
Standing nearly 27 feet tall and about 13 feet wide, the Dragon is one of four cargo spacecraft that deliver science experiments and other cargo to the space station on a regular basis. Dragon capsules can also carry up to seven astronauts into orbit, though most of SpaceX's Crew missions, which are contracted with NASA, feature a contingent of four.
The Dragon's departure was under command by SpaceX's Mission Control in Hawthorne, California.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [e-mail]