Darville raises concern over SpaceX debris

Environmentalist Joseph Darville yesterday raised alarm about the country’s agreement with SpaceX in the wake of an explosion that rained down debris in The Bahamas, pointing to the scarcity of details surrounding the program and the potential environmental harm it can cause.

“When these pieces are coming down to the land or to the ocean, wherever they are going to land, they carry with them an enormous amount of energy, sound and light,” Darville told The Nassau Guardian.

“All of these can have devastating effects on our land and our sea, particularly on the land. We have animals who are extremely sensitive to any type of extraordinary vibration, like our turtles, the whales and the dolphins etc. ... and they are telling us that there is nothing poisonous in it ,but the fact is with the amount of pressure that they hit the land or the water, they can discharge an enormous amount of elements that we know not about.”

Concern were reignited about the government’s agreement with SpaceX, which allows booster landings in The Bahamas, after debris fell in Bahamian territory from a Starship rocket explosion last week.

That explosion occurred last Thursday evening minutes after SpaceX launched its Starship rocket from Starbase in Texas, United States. The Davis administration has stressed that the incident was not a part of The Bahamas’ existing relationship with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launches.

In a statement issued after the explosion, the government said SpaceX has assured Bahamian officials that the debris from the incident does not contain toxic materials. The debris is not expected to have any significant impact on marine life or water quality, the government also said.

“SpaceX teams will be in The Bahamas to conduct full debris recovery and cleanup efforts,” the government’s statement noted.

“We expect our applicable agencies, inclusive of the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection, will observe the clean-up activities.”

The government said it will remain engaged with SpaceX and will continue to monitor the situation to ensure proper recovery actions take place.

Darville thinks the agreement between the government and SpaceX needs to be reconsidered. He said the issue of allowing booster landings in The Bahamas should be put to a referendum so people can decide the way forward.

“...That should be put to a referendum,” Darville said.

“No select group from Parliament should have the responsibility totally to decide — whether it’s a group or one person — to negotiate anything like that that could have a catastrophic impact upon the land in The Bahamas and our oceans.”

Free National Movement (FNM) Deputy Leader Shanendon Cartwright said yesterday that the government is “gambling” with people’s lives and their livelihoods due to its relationship with SpaceX.

“Bahamians have long been concerned about this program and its possible negative impact on our environment and the possible threat it poses to lives in the event of any failed launch exercise,” Cartwright said.

“Even more disturbing is the government’s failure and neglect to provide a substantive environmental impact assessment that would be clear and transparent.

“They are gambling with Bahamian lives and livelihood. More telling is the government [has] yet to provide a detailed explanation of the program in the public domain or Parliament. What is the scope of the program? What is the compensation structure particularly when there are failed launches or if there is a disastrous event?

“As it relates to the overall potential long term impact, all we have heard is that there shouldn’t be any. It shouldn’t isn’t enough. Show that it won’t. Relying solely on the word of an interested party won’t cut it. The government of The Bahamas has the responsibility and duty to protect the interest of the Bahamian people. Failure to do so would be a betrayal of the Bahamian people’s trust.”

Debris from the explosion fell in Bahamian airspace and fragments were seen falling from the sky in parts of the southern Bahamas Thursday night. The incident caused numerous flight delays.

“On the evening of March 6, 2025, SpaceX launched its Starship rocket from Starbase in Texas, United States,” the government’s statement said.

“Minutes after take-off, contact was lost with the spacecraft, and debris was subsequently observed streaming over The Bahamas.

“The Bahamas has no regulatory authority under The Bahamas’ Civil Aviation (Space Flight and Re-Entry) Regulations, 2025 over SpaceX’s Starship operations and this incident is not part of The Bahamas’ existing relationship with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 program, which involves controlled booster landings in Bahamian waters following launches from Kennedy Space in Florida. The FAA issues the launch license for Starship exercises.”

The statement continued: “The Bahamas was required under an existing treaty to issue a Notice to Mariners (NOTMAR) for maritime safety coordination.

“The debris from Starship fell into our airspace in the southern Bahamas.”

The explosion came weeks after SpaceX successfully landed its Falcon 9 first-stage rocket booster in the Exuma Sound on February 18.

The event marked what officials said is the beginning of space tourism in The Bahamas and the first of 19 more rocket booster landings in this country.

Concerned citizens and environmentalists expressed worry ahead of the Falcon 9 launch. The Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation criticized the lack of consultation ahead of the launch and raised concern the booster would land in a whale habitat.

Bahamian rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, who was the government’s consultant in brokering the deal with SpaceX, said that there will be an environmental assessment done before every booster landing.

Representatives from environmental and engineering firm Bron were on hand before the rocket launch and during the rocket landing to take readings and carry out assessments.

Bron’s senior environmental consultant, Agnessa Lundy, said they will present all of their data from last month’s landing to the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP).