Mexico to investigate impacts of SpaceX Starship explosion

UPI

a day ago

A SpaceX Heavy booster and Starship spacecraft at Starbase, Texas in May. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo
June 27 (UPI) -- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said the nation is launching an investigation into the impacts of debris from debris that landed in the country after SpaceX rocket exploded in Texas.
Sheinbaum said in a press conference Wednesday that there "is indeed contamination" and Mexico is launching a general review of the impact of the debris.
SpaceX is denying that debris from the explosion of one of its rockets has damaged the environment in Mexico.
"We are reviewing everything related to the launching of rockets that are very close to our border," Sheinbaum said, adding that Mexico would "file any necessary claims" if it found SpaceX violated international laws.
The SpaceX Starship exploded on June 19 during a preflight procedure for its 10th test flight from Starbase, Texas, with previous flights also exploding in the air after launch and scattering material in the surrounding areas.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk at the time called the incident "just a scratch," as no one was injured, although Mexico alleges the explosion sent debris along the shoreline of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas.
The company, however, denied the claims in a post on X on Thursday.
"As previously stated, there are no hazards to the surrounding area," SpaceX said. "Previous independent tests conducted on materials inside Starship, including toxicity analyses, confirm they pose no chemical, biological, or toxicological risks."
Environmental activists have alleged that debris from the incident has caused a die-off of marine life, such as dolphins, sea turtles and fish, while residents of the city of Matamoros have ostensibly found canisters and metal pieces on the beaches there as well.
The nonprofit environmental organization Conibio Global A.C. posted to its social media platform Monday that Sheinbaum responded to their complaint in regard to SpaceX debris and sent a crew of technicians, scientists and biologists among other specialists to investigate hunks of metal, rubber and plastic, as well as combustion tanks that purportedly fell from the Starship explosion into an area that includes the Río Bravo River.
"Within the inspections they took samples of water from the river and the beach, soil, sand, burnt plants, among others," the post said, and also showed photos that allegedly show pieces of Starship wreckage and damage to trees.
Another post from last week purportedly shows a large piece of Starship that fell into an area of communal farmland known as La Burrita.
The group also posted video from Bagdad Beach in Matamoros that allegedly shows Starship pieces, one of which is clearly labeled "SpaceX."
In the Thursday X post from SpaceX, the company says it has made attempts to recover debris from the explosion, and that it has "requested local and federal assistance from the government of Mexico in the recovery of anomaly related debris, offered resources and assistance in the clean-up, and have sought validation of SpaceX's right to conduct recovery operations."
"SpaceX looks forward to working with the Mexican government and local authorities for the return of the debris as soon as possible," the post concluded.