A SpaceX rocket explosion in January put three commercial flights carrying 450 people at risk, according to newly revealed FAA records. The records also indicate Elon Musk’s company failed to alert the FAA about the explosion, with air traffic controllers learning of the incident when they spotted debris on their radars.
The Wall Street Journal reports that in January, a SpaceX Starship rocket exploded minutes after liftoff, raining fiery debris across parts of the Caribbean for nearly an hour. While the incident was publicly known, FAA documents reviewed by the Journal reveal that the explosion posed a much greater danger to commercial air travel than initially reported.
According to the records, three passenger planes — a JetBlue flight en route to Puerto Rico, an Iberia Airlines plane, and a private jet – ended up declaring fuel emergencies and flying through the temporary no-fly zone established due to the rocket debris. In total, the flights carried approximately 450 people. Fortunately, all three planes landed safely.
The documents show that air traffic controllers scrambled to keep planes away from the debris areas, but the increased workload led to a “potential extreme safety risk.” Following the explosion, at least two aircraft flew too close to each other, requiring controller intervention to avoid a collision.
The FAA requires launch operators to quickly alert them of failures through an official hotline, allowing controllers to warn pilots and direct them to safety. However, the records indicate that SpaceX did not immediately inform the agency about the explosion through this channel. Controllers in Miami first learned of the incident from pilots spotting the debris.
In February, the FAA convened a panel of experts to re-examine how to handle debris risks from spaceflight failures. The effort gained urgency after another Starship vehicle exploded during a March test launch. However, the agency suspended the safety review in August, an unusual move given that FAA policies call for such reviews to address safety risks. The FAA stated that most of the panel’s recommendations were already being implemented and that it needed to consult additional experts.
As the number of rocket launches is expected to rise significantly in the coming years, debris could become a growing safety risk for air travel. SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, plans to power many of these flights with its Starship rocket, the most powerful ever developed.
Developing new rockets involves trial and error, and sometimes explosions. SpaceX has long viewed setbacks as a way to gain data for improvements. However, the company’s “entertainment is guaranteed” approach has raised concerns among airline industry and government officials.
The Air Line Pilots Association union has called for better communication with aviators, flight dispatchers, and airlines to allow for better planning around rocket launches, such as loading more fuel, finding alternate routes, or delaying departures.
Read more at the Wall Street Journal here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
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