SpaceX Rebuts CNBC Story About Flame Deflection System | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-05.05.25

Airborne-NextGen-05.06.25

AirborneUnlimited-05.07.25

Airborne-Unlimited-05.01.25

AirborneUnlimited-05.02.25

Sun, Aug 18, 2024

SpaceX Rebuts CNBC Story About Flame Deflection System

Contamination Of Launch Area Virtually Nonexistent

Commercial spaceflight company SpaceX has rebutted a story on CNBC stating that SpaceX violated environmental regulations by releasing pollutants into bodies of water near the company’s Starbase launch site near Brownsville, Texas.

SpaceX posted its response to the story on X, formerly Twitter. The company said, “CNBC’s story on Starship’s launch operations in South Texas is factually inaccurate.

The post described in detail how the launch site’s flame deflector system operates by using potable (drinking) water to diffuse heat and vibrations from the firing rocket engines during static engine tests and launches. Anyone who has ever watched any rocket launch has most likely seen this water release begin just as the engines ignite. It’s also commonly referred to as the deluge system and has been used at launch sites in the U.S. and around the globe.

The CNBC story claimed there has been excessive mercury released from the deluge water multiple times during launches, but SpaceX described in detail how it recaptured launch water and conducted testing which demonstrated that either no mercury was detectable or in the few instances it was, the level was significantly below the EPA limit for drinking water.

SpaceX provided a comprehensive summary of its interactions with the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the EPA regarding its launch permits required by the state. During these interactions, SpaceX explicitly asked if use of the deluge system needed to be stopped and was informed that operations could be continued.

On all points raised by the CNBC story, SpaceX had detailed, documented, appropriate, and correct responses.

FMI:  www.spacex.com/

Advertisement

More News

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (05.05.25): Circle To Runway (Runway Number)

Circle To Runway (Runway Number) Used by ATC to inform the pilot that he/she must circle to land because the runway in use is other than the runway aligned with the instrument appr>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (05.05.25)

Aero Linx: National Aviation Safety Foundation (NASF) The National Aviation Safety Foundation is a support group whose objective is to enhance aviation safety through educational p>[...]

NTSB Prelim: De Havilland DHC-1

At Altitude Of About 250-300 Ft Agl, The Airplane Experienced A Total Loss Of Engine Power On November 6, 2024, at 1600 central standard time, a De Havilland DHC-1, N420TD, was inv>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: The Boeing Dreamliner -- Historic First Flight Coverage

From 2009 (YouTube Edition): Three Hour Flight Was 'Flawless' -- At Least, Until Mother Nature Intervened For anyone who loves the aviation business, this was a VERY good day. Afte>[...]

Airborne-NextGen 05.06.25: AF Uncrewed Fighters, Drones v Planes, Joby Crew Test

Also: AMA Names Tyler Dobbs, More Falcon 9 Ops, Firefly Launch Unsuccessful, Autonomous F-16s The Air Force has begun ground testing a future uncrewed jet design in a milestone tow>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC