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I think, in this specific case, SpaceX should be held to a higher standard than one normally would be. Normally you don't claim that you intend for your rocket
by elil17 4y ago
I think, in this specific case, SpaceX should be held to a higher standard than one normally would be. Normally you don't claim that you intend for your rocket to blow up when you launch it. If they're going to go around saying this wasn't an accident, then they should have had a much, much better plan for cleaning up the mess they made.
I think litter laws should apply in this case. I'm afraid it would never get enforced because the US justice system tends to let the rich get away with anything, but dumping 200 pounds or more of commercial waste in Texas carries a minimum 180 day sentence under Texas state law (https://www.ennistx.gov/Illegal-Dumping-Violations/ https://www.ennistx.gov/Illegal-Dumping-Violations/).
Not something I think should apply in the case of a true accident, or if you had a good plan to really go above and beyond in terms of mitigating the damage (not necessarily perfect, but very good).
- drcongo 4y agoIt's a shame this isn't a top level comment, it's the best response in the thread.
- apendleton 4y agoI think it blowing up or otherwise failing was probably the most likely case and they didn't really hide that fact, but I get the sense that they expected that it would make it a little further along, and not destroy the pad, such that the mess would end up in the ocean instead of on land. This is also littering of a sort, but it's also how every rocket stage pre-SpaceX has met its demise anyway, by design (except for the Chinese ones that seem to have a tendency to come down on land, often in populated areas). Dropping rocket parts in the ocean is just an accepted part of doing business, for better or worse.