Mexican anti-Musk activists whine about SpaceX’s Boca Chica launch operations
Chicken Little is once again panicking
Mexican anti-Musk activists have now announced new complaints against SpaceX’s Boca Chica launch operations, claiming the soft-splash down of its Superheavy boosters in the Gulf of Mexico is damaging marine life, and the company’s effort to remove its stage and debris is further damaging the ocean floor.
Conibio Global A.C., a marine biodiversity organization in Mexico, launched “Expedition Booster 2025” this summer in partnership with the state of Tamaulipas and the Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas. The group is studying how booster landings near Playa Bagdad may be affecting wildlife and nearby communities. “We have 20 kilometers of space debris, which amounts to tons,” said Jesus Elias Ibarra Rodriguez, president of Conibio Global A.C. “If you go right now, you’ll find three or five pieces of plastic or metal or electrical parts from the thruster, even tanks—there is already a lot of debris.”
Researchers report that sea turtles and dolphins often mistake smaller debris for food, which can lead to deadly ingestion. They also documented debris fragments measuring between two and 10 meters long. According to the group, 3-D sonar imaging shows that a platform used in July to remove debris may have caused additional damage to the seafloor. “This platform has three structures that were sunk and anchored to the seafloor,” Rodriguez said. “During the investigation, we realized that it caused damage and holes when its structures were wedged in while removing the engines, and the engines were damaging the seabed and the species that live in the area.”
In other words, SpaceX is evil for dropping Superheavy in the Gulf, and it is also evil for removing it. Or to put this in real terms, these activists simply don’t want SpaceX to do anything. Their goal is to shut the company down entirely.
Moreover, their research is clearly bogus and overwrought. The entire world has been dropping lower stages in the oceans for more than three-quarters of a century, with no documented harm to marine life or the oceans. These faux scientists are simply puffing up their work to use this as a hammer against SpaceX.
Their complaint meanwhile appears somewhat bogus as well. They are “in communication” with Mexican authorities, and only “plan to present [their] findings” to that government eventually. In other words, their complaint hasn’t been filed with the government, but with our compliant propaganda press (in this case a local Texas news outlet), who are always glad to push the leftist agenda, no matter how idiotic.
Hat tip to Robert Pratt of Pratt on Texas.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Chicken Little is once again panicking
Mexican anti-Musk activists have now announced new complaints against SpaceX’s Boca Chica launch operations, claiming the soft-splash down of its Superheavy boosters in the Gulf of Mexico is damaging marine life, and the company’s effort to remove its stage and debris is further damaging the ocean floor.
Conibio Global A.C., a marine biodiversity organization in Mexico, launched “Expedition Booster 2025” this summer in partnership with the state of Tamaulipas and the Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas. The group is studying how booster landings near Playa Bagdad may be affecting wildlife and nearby communities. “We have 20 kilometers of space debris, which amounts to tons,” said Jesus Elias Ibarra Rodriguez, president of Conibio Global A.C. “If you go right now, you’ll find three or five pieces of plastic or metal or electrical parts from the thruster, even tanks—there is already a lot of debris.”
Researchers report that sea turtles and dolphins often mistake smaller debris for food, which can lead to deadly ingestion. They also documented debris fragments measuring between two and 10 meters long. According to the group, 3-D sonar imaging shows that a platform used in July to remove debris may have caused additional damage to the seafloor. “This platform has three structures that were sunk and anchored to the seafloor,” Rodriguez said. “During the investigation, we realized that it caused damage and holes when its structures were wedged in while removing the engines, and the engines were damaging the seabed and the species that live in the area.”
In other words, SpaceX is evil for dropping Superheavy in the Gulf, and it is also evil for removing it. Or to put this in real terms, these activists simply don’t want SpaceX to do anything. Their goal is to shut the company down entirely.
Moreover, their research is clearly bogus and overwrought. The entire world has been dropping lower stages in the oceans for more than three-quarters of a century, with no documented harm to marine life or the oceans. These faux scientists are simply puffing up their work to use this as a hammer against SpaceX.
Their complaint meanwhile appears somewhat bogus as well. They are “in communication” with Mexican authorities, and only “plan to present [their] findings” to that government eventually. In other words, their complaint hasn’t been filed with the government, but with our compliant propaganda press (in this case a local Texas news outlet), who are always glad to push the leftist agenda, no matter how idiotic.
Hat tip to Robert Pratt of Pratt on Texas.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Unlike Casey Handmer, these guys might have access to cartel armaments…
Whining about El Norte is a venerable Mexican cultural tradition – like the Day of the Dead, discharging firearms on holidays or the eponymous Hat Dance.
They would never dare bring a weapon to this fight.
First off gun ownership is very restricted in Mexico. Unless they are the cartel then they do not care. If they want to stay public they can’t touch a firearm.
they would do better just sending out a tug and stealing the booster. Once its inside Mexican waters Space X can not take it back.
Stealing the booster may be piracy. The Royal Navy figured out how to deal with pirates a long time ago. Hang the from the yardarm and send the Royal Marines to burn out their nests.
However I am encouraged by the Mexicans who line up on a sand spit to watch the great ships fly.
Stealing the booster may be piracy. The Royal Navy figured out how to deal with pirates a long time ago. Hang them from the yardarm and send the Royal Marines to burn out their nests.
However I am encouraged by the Mexicans who line up on a sand spit to watch the great ships fly.
All it takes is one guy with a Barrett .50
Hit SH on one flight, hit Starship on another. Hit a worker.
Three shots on three occasions could bring everything to a halt
Isn’t that Gulf of America? 😁
Meanwhile… Has anyone else noticed what is happening with respect to the ongoing popular protests in Mexico? Mostly unreported in Norte Americano media, it would appear that officials in Mexico have more to worry about than SpaceX.
https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/protest-insecurity-morena-party-violent-mexico-city/
Bob Wilson: As I have said repeatedly, I don’t kow-tow to any politician or any political movement that demands I change the name of things because they think it right. Women are women, not “pregnant people.” Cross-dressers are men wearing women’s clothing, not “transgender.” And the Gulf of Mexico has been the Gulf of Mexico long before the U.S. even existed.
Milt: I noticed, but am really unsure about the roots of all this rioting. The tactics too much resemble those of the violent left. It could simply be that the present Mexican government isn’t bowing enough to leftist demands.
Jeff Wright,
Firing on US territory from Mexico – be the shooter military or civilian – would be an act of war. Should such a thing occur, the Trump administration would have no compunctions whatsoever about sending in troops to secure however much Mexican territory would be required to prevent a recurrence.
Sounds like ESG Hound moved s
South.
The border is three miles from Starbase. That’s 5280 yards — the longest confirmed sniper shot is about 4400 yards. The missed shots before anything is hit would make it obvious what’s going on.
I believe he favorably commented on their efforts over on Bluesky. (Surprise, surprise.) But I don’t follow him enough now to know what he’s up to. At some point, his Musk Derangement Syndrome is going to become terminal, though.
Never start a fight with a man who buys rocket fuel by the tanker car.
Rob Crawford,
I believe the launch area is a lot closer to the border than three miles. But, regardless of the range, there isn’t what you’d call a whole lot of cover in which to set up a hide for quite a long stretch. The area is all river mouth and tidal flats.
From sippin_bourbon
Sounds like ESG Hound moved South..
He wouldn’t know which end of the gun was the muzzle.
from Rob Crawford
“The border is three miles from Starbase. That’s 5280 yards — the longest confirmed sniper shot is about 4400 yards. ”
SS/SH is the size of a small skyscraper. Mr. Magoo could make that shot. I’m pretty handy myself–but doing that would be beneath me even as an SLS supporter.
From Mr. Eagleson
“Firing on US territory from Mexico – be the shooter military or civilian – would be an act of war. Should such a thing occur, the Trump administration would have no compunctions whatsoever about sending in troops to secure however much Mexican territory would be required to prevent a recurrence.”
He won’t be able to find this Pancho Villa any better than BlackJack. In fact, the perps might be wanting to trigger just such a thing.
Trump and Elon do seem to have made up at least.
The key would be to make the shot from different directions. Maybe one from a narco sub
https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/narco-electric-sub.35845/
I don’t know what the layout of Boca is going to be—but I might have fired at such and angle to where if the bullet didn’t hit the rocket–it would hit tank farms behind it.
That needs to be where security is tightest.
I wouldn’t put it past the cartels to have surface to air—but Starship/SuperHeavy would quickly outpace it . Solids burn fast but fly short.
One reason I find ground-based boost phase missile defense laughable.
SLS is fast too.
NG? I think I could hit it with a Brown Bess. It’d be about ten feet up by the time I’d have the ramrod out…to be sporting, you know…
Leading this target? Ha!
JW says: “Three shots on three occasions could bring everything to a halt”
What a silly conclusion.
Rather, such an attempt would quickly solve the cartel problem in Mexico, perhaps in a matter of days. If you think Trump would react as a navel-gazing democrat, aka O’Bama / Biden, I think you have been watching too much MSNBC.
Remember that the enemy (us in this case) always gets a vote. Cheers –
I don’t watch a whole lot besides C-SPAN, seeing that I don’t need any anchor to tell me how to think.
Texas is lucky they have Elon.
My state got stuck with this fool–on the Right
https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2025/11/ex-healthsouth-ceo-richard-scrushy-sues-wants-32-billion-fine-tossed.html
And this fool, on the Left:
https://www.al.com/news/2025/11/bodycam-shows-arrest-of-alabama-woman-wearing-penis-costume-at-protest-this-is-a-family-town.html
Dear God…
Now you see why I am a Marshall fan–I just need most of the rest of the state to do me the favor of falling over kaput.
…this state…