SpaceX can't get its hands on Starship debris

SpaceX is having difficulties recovering debris after the explosion of a Starship rocket stage last week. The ground test explosion occurred near the Mexican border, sending debris into Mexico. Elon Musk's company has now asked the Mexican government for support, as announced on X. Meanwhile, Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum announced possible legal action against the aerospace company for environmental pollution.

During the test in Texas last week, the massive Starship spacecraft exploded in a fireball. SpaceX attributed the incident to a "serious anomaly". Video footage shows that at least two consecutive explosions occurred on the rocket, lighting up the night sky and scattering debris over a wide area.

Parts of the spacecraft landed in the Rio Grande, the border river between the USA and Mexico. Photos show some of the debris lying in the water, reports the Reuters news agency.

Recovery work hampered

"Despite SpaceX's attempts to recover the anomaly-related debris, which is and remains the physical property of SpaceX, these attempts have been obstructed by unauthorized parties trespassing on private property," the company announced on the social media platform X. SpaceX did not disclose who these "unauthorized parties" were.

SpaceX has requested both local and federal assistance from the Mexican government and has offered its own resources and help with the cleanup.

Mexico investigates rights violations

Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Wednesday that her government is investigating the safety and environmental impact of rocket launches, particularly for the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. Mexico wants to investigate whether international law has been broken and then initiate proceedings.

Back in March, a Starship spacecraft exploded in space a few minutes after take-off in Texas, prompting the FAA to halt air traffic in parts of Florida.

In January, a Starship rocket broke apart a few minutes after launch, raining debris over Caribbean islands and slightly damaging a car.

(mki)