A federal judge has ruled in favor of SpaceX, dismissing efforts by an environmental group to halt the company’s rocket launches over concerns related to its water-based deluge system. The decision comes just months before SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is set to collaborate with the incoming Trump administration.
The lawsuit, filed in October by Save RGV, a nonprofit based in the Rio Grande Valley, claimed SpaceX was violating the Clean Water Act by releasing wastewater from its Starbase facility at Boca Chica Beach, about 25 miles east of Brownsville, Texas. The group argued that the deluge system, which sprays water to absorb heat and prevent explosions during rocket launches, posed an environmental threat despite SpaceX’s assurances.
SpaceX maintains that the system uses clean, potable water and has passed all necessary environmental reviews. In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the company emphasized that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) had already determined the system was safe. “The TCEQ conducted a technical review of Starship’s water-cooled flame deflector, which uses potable water and determined that its use does not pose risk to the environment,” the post read. SpaceX also criticized the lawsuit as “unwarranted and frivolous.”
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera denied Save RGV’s request for a restraining order, citing potential harm to public interests, including NASA’s space programs. “Being unable to launch would create various consequences for not only Defendant, but also the public at large. It would significantly delay and possibly destroy Defendant’s contracts with NASA to further the Artemis Program and Human Landing System Program — worth billions of dollars,” Olvera wrote in his ruling.
The judge also confirmed that SpaceX’s operations have not caused environmental harm, referencing completed reviews. “At the beginning of the Starship-Super Heavy Launch System’s development, it became evident that a deluge water system was necessary to protect the launch site and surrounding areas during launches,” Olvera stated. He explained that the system mitigates fire risks and reduces dust and debris dispersal.
The ruling comes as Musk prepares to collaborate with President-elect Donald Trump and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy on the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, aimed at reducing federal spending.
