By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net 

FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard has urged the government to be more transparent about its dealings with SpaceX following the discovery and recovery of debris from a SpaceX Starship rocket that broke apart mid-flight on March 6.

The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) said on Sunday that officials are conducting environmental assessments to determine whether the fragments pose any risks.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Mr Pintard said that when he saw the alarming images of debris falling from the sky, he prayed for the safety of Bahamians and the environment. He noted that while the Starship differs from SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets, the government must take proactive steps as The Bahamas becomes more involved in space tourism.

He also questioned why the government has not been more forthcoming about its own SpaceX-related agreements. 

“From the beginning of the project, a number of Bahamians have said, and we echo their sentiments, the government should just share as much information as possible on this matter,” Mr Pintard said on the sidelines of the House of Assembly.

“Now that there’s been a disaster, people are even more concerned, and they don’t know what the potential damage is to the Bahamian environment. We don’t want to bet against a project that may have tremendous benefit for the Bahamian people, but it is difficult to endorse a thing that you don’t know sufficient details about.” 

Mr Pintard added that there should have been more public consultation before the government partnered with SpaceX. He also questioned whether the agreement includes a penalty clause in case the environment is harmed by rocket boosters.

In February, government officials sought to ease environmental concerns as The Bahamas prepared to host its first of 20 planned SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket booster landings this year. They assured the public that safeguards are in place to protect marine ecosystems and that the partnership does not conflict with the country’s climate change advocacy. 

Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper said environmental protection remains a top priority and that foreign investors must meet strict environmental standards before conducting operations in The Bahamas. He said officials are taking “measurable precautions” by working with environmental experts to monitor potential impacts. He also highlighted The Bahamas’ proximity to Florida, stable weather, and open waters as ideal conditions for SpaceX operations.

The government has approved up to 20 landings this year, though each requires regulatory approval. Mr Cooper said every launch must receive a licence from the Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas (CAAB), and officials will be notified before each landing. 

On Thursday, SpaceX made headlines when a rocket launched from its Starbase facility in Texas lost communication and disintegrated about nine minutes into its flight. It was intended to re-enter over the Indian Ocean but instead exploded, with debris visible from Florida, Cuba, The Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, and Turks and Caicos.

The explosion was widely seen throughout The Bahamas, with images and videos circulating from residents in New Providence to Ragged Island. Many were left stunned, with some describing it as looking like an asteroid plummeting toward Earth.

The government said SpaceX has committed to covering all costs associated with debris removal and environmental assessments. Officials said recovery efforts would continue until all debris is accounted for, and final findings will be shared with the public once the process is complete.