Activists sue FAA over Starship launch permit

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is facing a lawsuit from eco-activists and the Carrizo/Comecrudo Indian tribe. They sued the FAA after a Starship rocket exploded, causing debris to spread over long distances.

Here's What We Know

The rocket exploded 40 seconds after receiving a self-destruct signal. The ash scattered over areas inhabited by endangered animals. There was also a fire of about 1.4 hectares following the debris.

The Ridley Kemp's sea turtle and the ocelot are listed as endangered fauna. The latter is a sacred animal for the Carrizo/Comecrudo tribe.

The plaintiffs say the risks to the environment have not been examined under the US National Environmental Policy Act. They want the FAA to conduct a full environmental review to establish all risks from a rocket launch from a launch pad in Texas.

The regulator has allowed SpaceX to launch up to two dozen launches each year from Starbase for the next five years. The plaintiffs believe that the FAA violated the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act because it did not consider launching rockets from the Florida Space Center as an alternative.

Source: The Verge