Last year, after an explosive incident during a Starship test, SpaceX insisted it had found “no evidence of any floating or deceased marine life that would indicate that the impact of launch vehicle debris harmed animals in the immediate vicinity” of the crash site in waters off the Gulf Coast.
The company also separately said that Starship launches “do not pose a risk to surrounding communities in the Rio Grande Valley.”
Not everyone is convinced of this. Some residents and environmentalists have complained about frequent beach closures caused by Starship testing, as well as noise and debris associated with Starship failures.
In addition to the sonic booms, which can feel like small earthquakes, activists are concerned about migratory birds that have long been in the area, including the snowy plover, a species whose numbers environmentalists say are in rapid decline.
And a non-governmental organization in Mexico says it has documented melted plastic, aluminum and pieces of blue glue scattered on the sand of Baghdad Beach in Tamaulipas, raising concerns about threats to wildlife such as endangered Kemp’s Ridley turtles.
The same group, called Conibio Global, has organized several protests against Starship launches using boats located in the Persian Gulf waters near SpaceX’s launch pad, which have been accompanied by tense standoffs. The group is holding another demonstration this evening, Conibio confirmed to CNN.
US environmental group SaveRGV filed a lawsuit over access to local beaches, which were often cut off from the public due to missile launches and tests. However, the Texas Supreme Court recently awarded SpaceX a major victory on this front.