A joint project by SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, and the U.S. Air Force to conduct hypersonic rocket cargo deliveries from a remote Pacific atoll could endanger the seabird population that nests in the wildlife refuge, warn biologists and experts who have dedicated over a decade to their protection.
This wouldn’t be the first instance of SpaceX’s activities impacting protected birds. In a previous SpaceX launch of the Starship rocket in Boca Chica, Texas, nests and eggs of plover shorebirds were destroyed by a blast, resulting in legal issues for Musk’s company. In response, Musk humorously pledged to abstain from eating omelets for a week as compensation.
In March, the Air Force announced its selection of Johnston Atoll, a U.S. territory located nearly 800 miles southwest of Hawaii in the central Pacific Ocean, as the testing site for the Rocket Cargo Vanguard program being developed in collaboration with SpaceX. The initiative aims to test rocket re-entry vehicles capable of delivering up to 100 tons of cargo to any location on Earth within approximately 90 minutes, promising advancements in military logistics by facilitating rapid supply transportation to remote areas.
Concerns have been raised by biologists and experts familiar with the one-square-mile atoll, recognized as a U.S. National Wildlife Refuge and part of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument. They fear that the project might overwhelm the island’s 14 species of tropical birds, including red-tailed tropicbirds, red-footed boobies, and great frigatebirds with impressive 8-foot wingspans.
Wildlife biologist Steven Minamishin, based in Hawaii and employed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wildlife Refuge System, remarked, “Any aviation activity on the island will inevitably impact it at this stage.” University of Texas wildlife biologist Ryan Rash, who spent almost a year on Johnston, expressed concerns about the rockets’ noise potentially disturbing birds from their nests, causing anxiety and preventing them from returning, ultimately leading to generational losses.
The project entails the construction of two landing pads and the re-landing of 10 rockets over a span of four years. An environmental assessment of the project is being prepared by the Air Force and SpaceX for public review in the upcoming weeks, in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. This assessment is a prerequisite for the Air Force to proceed with the project, which it intends to commence this year.
While a Federal Register notice in March from the Air Force stated that the project was unlikely to have a significant environmental impact, it acknowledged potential harm to migratory birds. A U.S. Air Force spokesperson mentioned close collaboration with the Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Fisheries Service, to evaluate impacts and devise strategies to avoid, minimize, or mitigate environmental concerns.
At the time of writing, SpaceX had not responded
In the Pacific, where uninhabited land is scarce and threatened by rising sea levels, the birds rely on Johnston for their nesting and survival, as per biologists interviewed by Reuters. Desirée Sorenson-Groves, president of the National Wildlife Refuge Association, emphasized the importance of protecting these birds, noting that these remote oceanic islands are their last refuge. The United States has invested significant resources in restoring wildlife populations on these islands.
Johnston Atoll, closed to the public and under the management of the Air Force and Fish and Wildlife Service, has been a sanctuary for nesting seabirds and migrating shorebirds since its cleanup in 2004. Visitation to the island is highly regulated to prevent disturbance to the birds.
Efforts led by the Fish and Wildlife Service to eliminate yellow-crazy ants, an invasive species, on the atoll have been ongoing since it was designated a refuge. Crews have taken strict precautions to prevent the introduction of new species to the island.
Despite these conservation efforts, concerns have been raised that the SpaceX project could undermine the progress made over the years, potentially leading to the destruction of bird habitats on Johnston Atoll.
