--- title: "Huge Plume of Birds Explodes Out of SpaceX’s Powerful Starship Engine Test" description: "It seems like the birds may be coming home to roost with SpaceX's Starship after a bunch were seen flying (and dying) near its test site." date: "2023-02-10" modified: "2023-02-10" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/birds-spacex-starship" categories: - "Space" - "SpaceX" - "Starship" tags: - "SpaceX" - "Starship" - "super heavy booster" - "the digest" --- # Huge Plume of Birds Explodes Out of SpaceX’s Powerful Starship Engine Test ![It seems like the birds may be coming home to roost with SpaceX's Starship after a bunch were seen flying (and dying) near its test site.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* ## BBQ It seems like SpaceX's huge Starship test may have literally been for the birds. During the momentous live fire that saw [31 of Starship's 33 engines blast at once]() in what may well be the most powerful rocket ignition ever, a less-than-ideal outcome was seen on video stills: a plume of birds fanning (and falling) out near the Super Heavy booster's fiery trenches. What's more: as some, er, birdwatchers note, at least some of those [poor little guys]() didn't [seem to make it](). https://twitter.com/SpaceAbhi/status/1623792977771626497 ## FAA-Hole As multiple Tweeters have noted, SpaceX's "Starbase" campus in Boca Chica, Texas is located next to a wildlife refuge that's [home to a number of endangered species of birds](), and in its march towards Mars, the Elon Musk-owned company may be, [as conservationists argue](), doing harm to wildlife in the process. Not only is the site located on public lands — it's also been the subject of Federal Aviation Administration scrutiny after the agency last summer told SpaceX in an [environmental impact assessment]() that it had to make significant tweaks to its Starbase expansion plans to comply with legal regulations. ## Regulations, Schmegulations Officially, [SpaceX is still waiting for FAA approval]() before Starship can launch in full, and as of now, it's unclear whether this otherwise-successful Super Heavy booster test's unfortunate side effect will result in further postponement of that approval. In a statement provided to *Futurism*, an FAA representative said that the Boca Chica Starbase is "a SpaceX exclusive use site and is not licensed" by the agency. "The engine test that occurred yesterday was not a FAA-licensed activity," the spokesperson continued. *Futurism* also reached out to SpaceX for comment. Given that Musk is neither the type to [ask for forgiveness]() nor [permission](), there's little chance that such a trifle as disrupting local wildlife will stall SpaceX any further than is legally required — and in the long run, that attitude could prove harmful to humanity and the planet that he so wants to leave behind. **More on SpaceX:** [*Elon Musk Says SpaceX May Build Starship That Dies on Purpose*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()