SpaceX has accused the Journal of misleading reporting with “ulterior motives”
According to FAA documents seen by the Wall Street Journal, the explosion during SpaceX’s Starship test flight earlier this year presented a higher risk to commercial aircraft than was publicly known, leading to passenger jets declaring fuel emergencies and requiring air-traffic control to step in to avert possible crashes.
Launched from a Texas facility on January 16, the rocket failed during its flight and disintegrated, scattering burning pieces across the sky. At the time, SpaceX founder Elon Musk stated that “success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!”
In a Saturday article, the Wall Street Journal referenced an FAA document which noted “the explosion rained fiery debris across parts of the Caribbean region for roughly 50 minutes,” cautioning that an aircraft being hit by debris could have led to disastrous outcomes, such as significant destruction and fatalities.
SpaceX labeled the Journal’s article “misleading,” claiming journalists were “clearly spoon-fed incomplete and misleading information from detractors with ulterior motives.” The company asserted in a Saturday post on X that public safety is its foremost concern.
“No aircraft have been put at risk, and any events that generated vehicle debris were contained within pre-coordinated response areas developed by the US Space Force and implemented by the FAA,” the company maintained.
Reportedly, FAA records indicate a JetBlue flight heading to Puerto Rico was alerted it was approaching a danger area and directed to enter a holding pattern; controllers subsequently informed the pilots that proceeding would be “at your own risk.” An FAA report also mentioned two planes came excessively near each other, necessitating controller action to avoid a potential mid-air incident.