Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has raised the possibility of suing SpaceX over the environmental impact of rocket debris and contamination from its launches. The controversy comes after a SpaceX Starship rocket exploded during a ground test at the company’s Starbase headquarters in South Texas, close to Mexico’s border. The explosion, which resulted in a towering fireball, is the latest setback to Elon Musk’s ambitions of sending humans to Mars. In response, Sheinbaum stated that Mexico’s government is reviewing international laws that may have been violated, including the impact of falling debris on Mexican soil.
Sheinbaum emphasized that there is significant contamination from SpaceX’s activities, particularly in the northern Mexican state of Tamaulipas, and pledged that legal action would be pursued if necessary. The Mexican government is conducting an environmental review to assess the potential harm caused by the rocket launches. The review is part of a broader effort to ensure that Mexico’s environmental and legal rights are upheld when foreign companies like SpaceX operate in close proximity to the country’s borders.
The situation follows recent developments in the United States, where the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved an increase in SpaceX’s Starship launches from five to 25 annually. The FAA’s decision was made despite concerns from environmental groups, who warned that the increased frequency of launches could harm local wildlife, including endangered sea turtles and shorebirds. The decision, which overruled these objections, has added fuel to Mexico’s legal scrutiny of SpaceX’s activities.
This potential lawsuit is just the latest in a series of legal confrontations between Mexico and US corporate giants. Earlier this year, Sheinbaum’s government filed a lawsuit against Google for renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” on Google Maps, following an executive order from former US President Donald Trump. As the tension between Mexico and SpaceX grows, it is clear that Mexico is prepared to take action to protect its environmental and legal interests.
