TWO booster rockets from the Falcon 9 SpaceX heavy, return for a landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, Tuesday, February 6, 2018. Photo: John Raoux/AP
By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
LEADING environmentalist Joe Darville is concerned about government’s first-stage agreement with SpaceX for rocket landings in The Bahamas.
Elon Musk founded SpaceX, which manufactures and launches spacecraft and rockets.
“As an environmentalist and someone who’s extremely concerned about our precious and vulnerable environment, I certainly do have concerns, and if any decision is being taken by the government to accommodate this landing in our territory, then everything should be put out there to the public with respect to any harm to be done, whether it’s to the area where it’s gonna land, or whether or not any vibratory matters are concerned with respect to animals and specifically to birds,” Mr Darville said yesterday.
The Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation announced the signing of a letter of agreement with SpaceX over the weekend.
The ministry said SpaceX is designing space exploration missions where one of the company’s autonomous drone ships will serve as a Falcon 9 landing location east of The Exumas.
The ministry said this will provide the platform for “a spectacle that will be visible only in The Bahamas”.
Mr Darville said: “In the past, some stuff has landed in our ocean but now in modern times, when we are concerned about our atmosphere, and ocean and our land, a little bit of land that we have, and the species that we have in The Bahamas, we got to be extremely reticent about anything that may not have been traditionally landing or taking place to be landed in our territory and islands or wherever.
“I would say that the government should be upright and forthright in revealing to us any particular elements that may be impacted by such a landing in our territory. The people need to know.”
Comments
carltonr61 8 months, 2 weeks ago
The rocket onced launched from Florida with a payload on top only acts as a booster rocket reaches a certain height then separation occurs. The booster falls back to Earth landing on a floating platform in The Bahamas to be carted off and reused. The payload with its own rocket furthers its jouney into space under its own power. There is nothing dangerous to land mass as 275 out of 286 is a great record.
A Britush Trident 2 missle may have crashed on take off from a sub on January 31 on its way between Brazil and West Africa. Now that baby was loaded with fuel.
TalRussell 8 months, 2 weeks ago
Goin' brung all us --- that's closer to Judgement Day! --- The newspaper's article pictures, speaks to. --- There is plenty of serious danger to we's sea waters be in for a lot of hurtin'. ---. Ass 275 out of 286 --- [Is a great record's reason for we to stay afraid of]. --- Yes?
Porcupine 8 months, 2 weeks ago
Sorry Joe, It's all about the money. Mostly for the politicians, but that's another story, right? Today we're worried about birds. But today, people have fewer rights than ever.
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