Simply months after SpaceX landed a Falcon 9 rocket within the Bahamas for the primary time, the nation has hit pause on future landings pending an environmental evaluation, in response to information wire experiences.
A prime Bahamas authorities official introduced on Tuesday (April 15) that the nation was suspending future SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket landings till a “full environmental evaluation” is full, Reuters reported.
“No additional clearances shall be granted till a full environmental evaluation is reviewed,” Reuters quoted Bahamian Director of Communications Latrae Rahming as writing on the social media site X.
SpaceX made its first Falcon 9 touchdown within the Bahamas on Feb. 18 throughout a Starlink satellite tv for pc fleet launch. The Falcon 9’s first-stage booster returned to Earth to land on a SpaceX drone ship within the Atlantic Ocean stationed off the Bahamian coast.
“Our new touchdown collaboration with The Bahamas will allow Falcon 9 to launch to new orbital trajectories,” SpaceX wrote through X at the time. On the heels of that flight, officers within the Bahamas mentioned they anticipated as much as 19 extra SpaceX landings all year long, however these landings can be topic to regulatory approval, Reuters reported.
It’s unclear if the Falcon 9 touchdown pause within the Bahamas stems from the latest reentry of SpaceX’s Flight 8 Starship automobile, which exploded and rained particles over components of the Bahamas throughout a check launch on March 6. SpaceX’s Starship automobile is a brand new reusable spacecraft that’s totally different from the corporate’s workhorse Falcon 9 rockets.
