Environmental groups are suing FAA over SpaceX’s failed Starship Rocket launch over Texas

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• Environmental groups have filed a lawsuit against the FAA for SpaceX's April giant rocket launch.
• Officials said that debris from the Starship's explosion was hurled hundreds of feet away from the launch pad.
• The FAA has grounded Starship while it is determined that the public's safety will not be compromised.

CAPE CANAVERAL (AP) – Wildlife and environmental groups filed a lawsuit against the Federal Aviation Administration over SpaceX's launch of its giant rocket last month from Texas.

SpaceX's Starship exploded on April 20, after it had soared 24 miles (39 km) into the air. Rocket's self destruction system caused the rocket to explode, spinning out of control minutes after the test flight.

A lawyer for the Center for Biological Diversity (one of the plaintiffs) said that the groups were suing because they believe the FAA failed to consider the environmental impact of the Starship Program near Boca Chica Beach, South Texas. They asked for the court to revoke the FAA's five-year license granted to SpaceX.

The FAA declined to comment, stating that it does not comment on litigation. The agency oversees the investigation into the accident and has ordered that all SpaceX Starships be grounded until public safety is assured.

Elon Musk, SpaceX founder and CEO, stated that his company would be ready to launch its next Starship within six to eight weeks if the FAA gave their approval.

There were no reports of injuries or damage to public property from the debris or wreckage. As the main rocket engines of 33 were ignited, a large crater was created in the concrete pad.

The launch pad is located in a remote area on the southernmost tip Texas, below South Padre Island and approximately 20 miles away from Brownsville.

The U.S. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced last week that concrete chunks, stainless-steel sheets, metal and various other objects had been hurled hundreds of meters (thousands of feet) away from the pad. The service also noted that a plume containing pulverized cement sent material as far as 6.4 miles (4 km) to the northwest of the pad.

The launch was the first of a full size Starship. The sci-fi looking spacecraft was atop the massive booster rocket. The company intends to use the vehicle to transport people and cargo to Mars and eventually to the Moon. NASA plans to use Starship as early as 2025 to transport astronauts to the surface of the moon.

The Center for Biological Diversity is joined in its lawsuit by the American Bird Conservancy (ABC), Surfrider Foundation (Save RGV), Rio Grande Valley (Save RGV) and Carrizo/Comecrudo Nation of Texas.

Jared Margolis, the Center for Biological Diversity’s Jared Margolis, said in a press release that it is vital to protect Earth's life as we gaze up at the stars during this modern era. "Federal officials must protect vulnerable wildlife and communities in the frontlines, not give corporate interests a free pass that wants to use coastal landscapes to dump space waste."

Musk announced over the weekend that he was making changes to the launch pad in order to avoid what he described as a "dust storm" and a "rock tornado" during the next launch.

Musk stated that "to the best of his knowledge, there have not been any significant damages to the environment we are aware of."

Musk has said that he will make improvements to Starship 2 before it takes to the skies. He said that the self-destructing system would need to be changed so that the rocket would explode immediately, and not 40 seconds later as it did on the first flight.

His comments were made in a Twitter chat for subscribers only Saturday night, which was then posted online by others.

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By: insider@insider.com (Insider Inc.)
Title: Environmental groups are suing the FAA over SpaceX’s failed Starship rocket launch over Texas
Sourced From: www.businessinsider.com/faa-spacex-starship-launch-rocket-explosion-grounded-lawsuit-2023-5
Published Date: Mon, 01 May 2023 20:26:40 +0000

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