SpaceX faces environmental scrutiny over contamination of launch pad
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is under fire from environmental regulators for repeated violations of water pollution laws at its Starbase launch site in Texas. The state’s environmental agency, TCEQ, has issued a formal notice of violation, citing multiple instances of unauthorized wastewater discharges. The issue concerns SpaceX’s use of a water deluge system to protect the launch pad during rocket testing. Although necessary to mitigate the intense heat and force of launches, the company failed to obtain proper permits for wastewater discharged into local waterways. Environmental groups and experts have raised concerns about the potential impact of these discharges on sensitive…