“We’re too close to the debris.”
Three of five Starship launches in 2025 exploded unexpectedly. Over 20 commercial planes made sudden evasive maneuvers over the Caribbean. One aircraft carrying 283 passengers ran so low on fuel the pilot declared an emergency. Researchers say 300 grams of debris could catastrophically damage an aircraft at cruising speed. Beach photos showed much larger intact rocket components. The FAA has dual mandates to promote and regulate commercial spaceflight. That’s exactly the conflict of interest it sounds like.