19.01.2025

Videos emerged online shortly after the incident showing glowing debris streaking across the sky.

Government officials in Turks and Caicos said Friday that debris from a SpaceX rocket test that went awry fell over the Caribbean islands but that there have been no reported injuries so far and only minimal damages to property.

The government statement also said the Turks and Caicos Islands Airport Authority diverted flights in its airspace and grounded planes in the immediate aftermath of the accident.

SpaceX launched its huge Starship rocket and spacecraft on an uncrewed seventh test flight on Thursday. About nine minutes after liftoff, the company lost contact with Starship and the rocket’s upper stage broke apart over parts of the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean.

Videos emerged online shortly after the incident showing glowing debris streaking across the sky.

Government officials in Turks and Caicos said they are not aware of any specific risks at this time related to the Starship debris, but added that space debris “can sometimes contain hazardous materials which can cause serious harm to health.”

Officials said that anyone who encounters an object that may be space debris should not touch it, should record the time and location of its discovery, should snap a picture (if possible) without touching it and report the finding to nationalsecurity@gov.tc with the subject title “Space X Debris.”

The government statement said that space debris remains the property of the spacecraft owner — in this case, SpaceX.

Officials said they are working with partners in the United Kingdom and the UK Space Agency on how to handle the debris and maintain health and safety following this incident.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said Friday that it has grounded the Starship rocket pending an investigation into the midflight accident.

The FAA said it is working with local authorities to confirm reports of public property damage in Turks and Caicos.

Quelle: NBC News