Environmentalists: Musk’s rocket debris threatens Hawaii’s protected waters

Hundreds of miles of ocean that surround some Hawaiian islands considered sacred by locals could be at risk because of potential debris from SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s rocket ships, according to environmentalists and scientists. The warning comes after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) gave Musk the greenlight to launch his SpaceX rockets over these protected waters in May.

SpaceX first sought approval from the FAA to launch its Starship Super Heavy Project in 2022. In 2023, SpaceX was granted a license to launch its Starship five times a year. In 2024, Musk proposed increasing that number to 25 times a year.

SpaceX’s current launch base is in Boca Chica, Texas, which is encompassed by a state park and a federal wildlife refuge. Ten Starship rockets have attempted to launch from the site, and most of those attempts have ended in explosions that have sent shrapnel and debris flying into the Gulf of Mexico and as far as the Indian Ocean.

Musk now wants to expand where debris from his Starships can land in the Pacific Ocean to about 75 times the area of his original proposal. This larger area would include eight main Hawaiian islands, including an UNESCO World Heritage site known as Papahānaumokuākea.

Environmental concerns

Wildlife experts warned that the potential of rocket debris landing in this area threatens thousands of animals and the ecology of critically endangered habitats that were previously given legal protections by the Biden administration. They also noted the potential impact of fuel from the rockets and sonic booms that have already impacted wildlife in Texas.

Environmentalists argue the FAA failed to get input from those in Hawaii, including government officials and residents. However, the agency isn’t legally required to get their input, as it says the debris would fall outside residential areas of the 50th state.

Elon Musk’s stance

Musk, the world’s richest man, has contended that his experimental rocket launches are key to humanity’s survival, as he aims to one day colonize Mars. He asserted that potential environmental harm to the Earth’s oceans is a necessary risk to further space exploration.

Three potential outcomes

Critics don’t agree. They noted that the FAA lists three possible outcomes for Musk’s Starship detonations. All three involve either debris from the rocket in the ocean, or the rocket itself sinking into the water below. They emphasized all three are bad options for wildlife and ecosystems.

Despite concerns among federal agencies, the FAA  concluded that the harm from twice-monthly Starship launches is “insignificant” in the grand scheme of things.

However, scientists and environmentalists accused the FAA of rushing its assessment due to alleged influence from companies tied to Musk that were involved in the agency’s assessment. They argue that Musk’s cuts to FAA staff earlier this year through his Department of Government Efficiency and threats to sue the agency played a role in the favorable environmental assessment.

“We, especially as Native Hawaiians who have a special relationship to that place, simply want an honest and true assessment of the risk before consenting to the raining of thousands of pieces of a failed rocket,” William Aila, who once served as the chair of the Papahānaumokuākea’s advisory council, told The Guardian.

Musk also criticized past FAA environmental assessments, mocking the need for the reports in order to protect marine life and the environment. Musk once stated that, if Starship hit a whale, “the whale had it coming” due to the remarkably low chance of that actually occurring.

“It’s like ‘Final Destination: The Whale Edition.’ It’s like fate had it in for that whale,” Musk said in a campaign event for President Donald Trump.

Environmental groups sue

The environmental report, first published in 2022 and since updated, is the main focus of a lawsuit brought against the FAA by a group of nonprofits. They argue the assessment is not adequate and violates the National Environmental Policy Act. The plaintiffs are requesting that the FAA conduct a so-called Environmental Impact Statement that would involve a more comprehensive review of SpaceX’s impact on endangered species, as well as require more input from Native Hawaiians and other ethnic groups.

The FAA acknowledged Musk-tied companies are legally able to provide assessments to the agency, but the findings are carefully examined by federal regulators who issue the final report.

The islands in question hold spiritual and historical significance to Native Hawaiians, who hope to keep them protected from pollution and preserve them for generations to come.