Overview

• SpaceX reported that unauthorized access on Mexican property has impeded its efforts to recover debris from the June 18 Starship explosion and formally requested assistance from local and federal authorities
• President Sheinbaum ordered a comprehensive environmental assessment after pieces of metal and rocket fragments were found in Tamaulipas following the ground test at SpaceX’s Starbase facility
• Mexican officials are examining potential breaches of international environmental and space treaties as a precursor to filing lawsuits against SpaceX
• The US Federal Aviation Administration’s May approval to increase annual Starship launches from five to 25 has drawn criticism from conservation groups over cross-border contamination and wildlife risks
• The recent incident adds to a string of Starship test failures and explosions this year that have scattered debris across Mexico and the Caribbean