Though the agency required SpaceX to take more than 75 actions to mitigate the environmental impact of the test flight, Roesch predicted that the launch would be more severe than anticipated, and it appears he was not far off.Īs the FAA dives deeper into the safety of Starship’s operation, SpaceX has another hurdle to overcome. Some, like Roesch, have criticized the FAA’s willingness to go ahead with the launch given these concerns. NASA’s Space Shuttle orbiter, for example, took off over a flame trench. Roesch also pointed out that the Boca Chica launchpad does not have a flame trench or water deluge system, features present at most other large sites that help to suppress heat and sound from launches. That test was conducted at 50 percent of total thrust. Intensity readings three miles from the test site reached 110 decibels, the equivalent of standing next to a jackhammer, according to the agency. Fish and Wildlife Service via a Freedom of Information Act request, a February static fire test-essentially a test run for the test flight-produced far more noise than SpaceX projected. #SpaceX #Starship #Starbase #TLPNetwork #TLPCrew /mu5hKmbih6- The Launch Pad April 20, 2023Įric Roesch, an environmental engineer and former regulator who runs the blog ESGHound, noted that the launch tower sits just a few hundred feet away from a protected habitat owned by Texas Parks and Wildlife.Īnd per data Roesch obtained from the U.S. Particles falling in Port Isabel minutes after launch. Reporter Lavie Ohana, who was present for the test flight, called it “one of the loudest launches I’ve ever been at.” These animals could be vulnerable not just to debris, but also to the noise of the launch. Spokespeople for the Sierra Club and the Center for Biological Diversity noted that the particulate emissions may be unsafe to touch or breathe in, and samples will need to be collected and examined to dispel any concerns.Įxperts also worry about the impact on the surrounding environment and ecosystem, which is home to several endangered species. The City of Port Isabel said that there is no “immediate concern for people’s health,” but environmental groups are holding judgment until a full investigation can be completed. Vb9ritd7JE- Pablo De La Rosa April 20, 2023 Getting reports from multiple people now of “particulates” raining down in areas of Port Isabel after the nearby explosion of the SpaceX rocket stack Starship/Superheavy, 4 minutes after liftoff this morning from Boca Chica in the Rio Grande Valley.
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