Remains of SpaceX rockets contaminate from Elon Musk’s company have invaded the coasts of Tamaulipas, generating environmental damage and mobilizing authorities from Mexico.
Jesús Elías, president of Conibio Global AC, revealed how SpaceX contaminates the Gulf of Mexico with propellant explosions, affecting ecosystems and fishing communities. The incidents occurred after failed launches in November 2023 and May 2024, with debris reaching the Río Bravo.
Origin: explosions in the Gulf of Mexico SpaceX contaminates
The problem began when SpaceX contaminated, with its base near the Río Bravo in Texas, carried out launches whose 200-ton boosters were detonated in Mexican waters. On November 19, 2023, after a “successful” liftoff, the booster of the world’s largest rocket standing at 135 meters tall exploded in the Gulf.
Elías, coordinator of sea turtle conservation, witnessed helicopters and vessels recovering plastics. On May 27, 2024, another aerial explosion dispersed 200 tons of debris without cleanup operations.
Tons of SpaceX contaminants waste
Three days after the second incident, Tamaulipas beaches woke up covered in waste. “We had 40 linear kilometers of garbage,” detailed Elías. Among the collected waste are the following:
- 13 fuel tanks used in rocket fire suppression systems.
- Over a ton of black microplastics from coatings.
- Aluminum fragments with SpaceX labels and oxidized metals.
Environmental impact and collateral damage
The contamination goes beyond the visible waste. “Over 80% of the rocket remains submerged,” Elías warned, pointing out risks from toxic fuels ingested by marine fauna.
Conibio Global has documented turtles, birds and stranded whales. Additionally, a land explosion in Texas on Wednesday night threw debris to Matamoros, breaking windows 500 meters away. “It’s a matter of national security,” the activist warned, showing remains of the spacecraft in the Río Bravo.
Governmental response and demands
Municipal, state, and federal authorities support the investigations. Municipal President Alberto Granados coordinated the tank collection in “La Burrita,” while PROFEPA and SEMARNAT are analyzing evidence.
Elías, meeting with teams from President Claudia Sheinbaum, demands reparations from Mexico: “They have lost total control of the rocket twice. It was just a pilot test.”
Local fishermen see their livelihood threatened by contamination in fishing grounds.
SpaceX contaminates and faces historical claims for turning national waters into a space dump, while Mexico evaluates legal actions against irreversible damage to its coasts and biodiversity.
