Elon Musk seeks assistance from Mexico to retrieve SpaceX rocket parts that fell in Tamaulipas.

The space manufacturing and travel company SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, has requested assistance from the Mexican Government to recover parts of the rocket that ended up in Tamaulipas following the latest explosion at its base. After President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that her cabinet is considering filing a lawsuit over the contamination from space debris that ends up on Mexican territory, the corporation owned by Musk assures that there is no risk to the surrounding area of its base in Texas. SpaceX has reminded its followers on social media that the parts of the imploded rocket remain “tangible property” of the company and offers to collaborate in cleaning the beaches where the remnants landed for recovery.

The corporation of the world’s richest man has stated that its team has made several attempts to recover debris that was ejected from the explosion on June 18, when the spacecraft imploded during preparations for a test flight. That night, at 11:00 PM, a fireball ignited the launch pad in Brownsville, Texas, just three kilometers from the border with Mexico. Parts of the Starship spacecraft were ejected, with some landing in the ejido La Burrita and on Bagdad Beach, located 10 and 13 kilometers from SpaceX facilities, respectively.

However, they claim that attempts to recover the pieces of the ship “have been hindered by unauthorized parts invading private property.” They also emphasize that the pieces of the rocket “are and remain tangible property of SpaceX.” The company claims to have offered resources and assistance for cleaning up the space debris to the Mexican Government and insists on carrying out recovery operations.

Sheinbaum confirmed this Wednesday that the SpaceX debris constitutes a case of contamination in Mexican territory. The official noted that this is not an isolated incident and that her cabinet has already met to assess the environmental and safety impacts of rocket launches from their northern neighbor to proceed with the “necessary actions” as per international law.

SpaceX has assured that the debris that ended up on the beaches of Tamaulipas after the explosion “does not present chemical, biological, or toxic risks.” The components and materials of the rocket were subjected to independent tests prior to the accident. Environmental organizations present on Bagdad Beach have reported finding solid and spongy plastic, pieces of aluminum, rubber, combustion tanks, gas cylinders, and metal parts, among other waste. This contamination from space debris poses a threat to the flora and fauna of the area, including turtles that approach the beach, they report.

The civil organization Conibio Global, which works on protecting the ecosystem in Tamaulipas, has documented the waste from spacecraft that ends up on the beaches and rivers of northern Tamaulipas. As of June 10, they stated that they had cleaned up 1.3 tons of space debris originating from SpaceX’s operations. The debris is mostly carried in from the sea, as rocket launches are directed towards the Gulf of Mexico. The company has recorded four accidents in less than five months, and parts of the spacecraft—some of considerable size and weight—travel from the explosion to end up on Mexican soil. “The 200 tons of the SpaceX rocket will continue arriving at Tamaulipas beaches causing irreversible damage to the marine ecosystem. We have no alternative but to clean up to prevent the death of the wildlife that inhabits this area,” environmentalists have stated on their social media.

Following the latest explosion, Conibio Global has worked with government personnel and has delivered evidence of the space contamination they had in custody to officials from Civil Protection, the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa), and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat). They have presented a timeline of their findings, classified the waste, and evaluated the areas where impacts have occurred. “They will determine the environmental impact this is causing in Tamaulipas; what is certain is that they witnessed the significant contamination present,” they recounted.