Airline Forced to Delay Flights Over Risk From Musk’s Rockets
Passengers were grounded yesterday as British Airways was forced to delay 15 flights between London and Toronto due to risks posed by space debris left over from Elon Musk’s SpaceX launch.
The stricken flights, which were intended to carry up to 7,000 people, were brought to a halt at the 11th hour as concerns emerged that fragments of Musk’s NovaStar rocket may be hurtling towards the same flight path as the planes.
“We apologize deeply to our passengers for the unexpected delays,” a British Airways spokesperson said. “We were taken by surprise when NASA alerted us to the increased risk of collision. Safety will always be our top priority.”
According to NASA’s Space Debris Office, which monitors the re-entry of artificial satellites and launch vehicle components back to Earth, there is currently a 14% chance of collision between fragments of the Musk rocket and aircraft.
“We expect the risk of collision to fluctuate over the coming hours, and we urge passengers to contact us for up-to-date flight information,” an agency spokesperson warned.
Musk, who tweeted his disappointment and concern for passenger safety, added: “Unfortunately, the likelihood of collision will not be lowered until the remains of the rocket have fully decomposed in our atmosphere.”
Environmental experts are citing the incident as further evidence that space companies, such as Musk’s SpaceX, need to invest in more rigorous cleanup strategies following launches.
Critics are charging that the tech mogul’s penchant for “innovative space exploration” and his reluctance to share costs comes at the expense of global travel and public safety.
The 15 delayed British Airways flights have been rescheduled for today and tomorrow, leaving passengers scrambling for alternative arrangements.
Meanwhile, NASA has assured the public that the agency is in close communication with space debris stakeholders, including rocket manufacturers and orbiting satellite owners, to avoid similar incidents.
“This is not a unique phenomenon,” NASA warned. “A small but crucial portion of these events are yet to be planned and accounted for in our simulations. We assure the public of our ongoing work to minimize disruption and maintain situational awareness on a global level.”
