- An Iberia flight from Madrid to Puerto Rico and two other planes were affected by the explosion of a SpaceX Starship over the Caribbean.
- The rocket debris fell for almost 50 minutes, forcing route diversions and fuel emergencies for Iberia and a private jet.
- The FAA activated a special protocol for debris and detected failures in communication and in the design of the no-fly zones.
- The growth in launches from SpaceX and other operators increases the pressure on air traffic safety on busy routes.
The explosion of a rocket SpaceX's Starship over the Caribbean last January 16 It triggered a situation of maximum tension in air traffic in the area. Among the affected aircraft was a flight from Iberia on the Madrid-Puerto Rico route, which was forced to modify its operation due to the risk of impact from launcher debris.
According to internal documents of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from the United States, which the American press had access to, three commercial aircraft with about 450 people on board They suddenly found themselves flying in an environment where incandescent fragments of the rocket were falling, forcing controllers to make quick decisions and pilots to manage a scenario for which there is hardly any precedent.
The Iberia flight and two other planes, trapped in a shower of debris
On the night of January 16, while air traffic continued as normal in the Caribbean airspaceA test launch of SpaceX's Starship system ended in an explosion just minutes after liftoff. From that moment on, the debris began to disperse for about 50 minutes over a wide strip near Puerto Rico.
In that context, they were compromised three specific flightsA JetBlue plane bound for San Juan, the Iberia flight IB379 between Madrid and Puerto Rico and a private jet. The last two arrived at declare fuel emergency in order to be able to land with priority after the diversions and waiting periods resulting from the situation.
Air traffic controllers described the scene as a “extreme potential security risk”The workload skyrocketed as aircraft had to be separated from potential debris drop zones while maintaining minimum distances between aircraft to avoid further incidents in the midst of international traffic.
According to the technical reports, The debris cloud exceeded the exclusion zones initially planned by the FAA for the launch. This meant that part of the airspace where commercial aircraft were operating was not formally closed, despite the presence of rocket fragments passing through the atmosphere.
Iberia later reported that His plane crossed the affected area after the wreckage had already fallen into the sea.JetBlue maintains that its flights avoided the areas where debris was detected at all times. However, the aviation authority's records reflect a night of decisions made with limited information and under intense operational pressure.
Delayed communication and protocols under review
Internal documents also point to problems in the communication chain between SpaceX and the FAAThe company reportedly did not immediately report the explosion through the emergency hotline set up for such incidents, which delayed the official response in air traffic control.
Some controllers found out that something was wrong not through formal channels, but by the pilots themselves, who began reporting visible “intense fire and fragments” from the cockpit. This created a window of uncertainty in which operations continued in areas that, on paper, were not classified as dangerous, but where rocket debris was already falling.
Given the worsening situation, the FAA activated a Debris Response AreaThis is an emergency protocol designed to slow down and divert air traffic away from areas where fragments are detected falling outside the limits previously established for a launch.
The experience of that night showed that The initial exclusion zones were primarily focused on US airspace. under radar coverage, leaving gaps in international areas where commercial aircraft continued to fly. These regulatory gaps further complicated the work of air traffic controllers as they tried to protect flights without clear regulatory tools to completely close certain areas.
Following the January incident, the FAA formed a panel of experts to review the protocols related to the management of debris from failed launches. That group identified heightened risks to aviation, such as unexpected forced diversions, fuel emergencies, and chronic overload of control centers when space launches coincide with heavy traffic on commercial routes.
High-stakes decisions for pilots en route to Puerto Rico
In the cockpit, the problem ceased to be theoretical and became a a difficult choice at 10.000 meters altitudeThe commanders of the affected flights received messages warning that they were approaching a danger zone associated with the rocket explosion.
In the case of the JetBlue plane, the pilots heard over the radio that if they wanted to continue to San Juan it would be “at your own risk”, reflecting the difficulty of offering absolute guarantees in an environment where fragments could still be falling from high altitude.
The crew members basically had two options: divert and risk a serious fuel problem over the oceanor continue through an area with a risk, though difficult to quantify, of impact with space debris. In at least two of the three flights, the situation resulted in a formal declaration of fuel emergency in order to prioritize landing and avoid an even more critical scenario.
Despite the tension, All three flights landed without incident.However, the episode highlighted just how inadequate current protocols can be when large launches, in-flight failures, and busy commercial routes are combined.
In their subsequent communications, SpaceX has maintained that no aircraft was actually in danger And it maintains that its priority is public safety. The company also insists that it maintains close collaboration with the FAA and is working on technological solutions such as real-time tracking of both the vehicle and any potential debris to manage these situations almost as if they were just another weather phenomenon.
Increasing pressure on the FAA and international airspace
Beyond the specific incident, the figures handled by the FAA point to a structural change in the relationship between the space industry and civil aviationFrom a historical average of just over two dozen controlled launches and re-entries each year, the agency expects to move to managing between 200 and 400 annual operations in the near future.
Much of that increase is driven by SpaceX, the world's most active launch operatorwhich uses the Starship system as a key component of its plans to transport cargo and crew to orbit and to more distant destinations. With more launches, the probability of overlap with [the Starship system] also increases. busy air routes over the North Atlantic, the Caribbean, Florida or Mexico.
The history of the sector itself reminds us that Rocket development is often accompanied by failures in the early stagesIt is estimated that approximately one-third of the launchers active since 2000 suffered a failure on their maiden flight, reinforcing concerns among regulators and airlines about safety zones and risk management for passenger aircraft.
Following the January incident, and another Starship launch that ended in an explosion in March, the The FAA adjusted the debris fall areas And, according to their own reports, air traffic problems related to that second test were reduced. Even so, the agency ended freezing a broader internal review Regarding the risk that rocket debris poses to aviation, they argued that many of the recommendations were already being implemented through other regulatory channels.
Meanwhile, SpaceX has continued with new Starship tests, some longer before disintegration and others better suited to the planned profile. The company acknowledges that It is a very ambitious design, with expected "growing pains"., while it moves forward in an environment where the surveillance of aeronautical authorities is becoming increasingly close.
The episode experienced by the Iberia plane on its route between Madrid and Puerto RicoThis incident, along with the other two flights involved, has become an illustrative example of the challenges posed by the coexistence of the boom in space launches and traditional commercial aviation. On that January 16th, air traffic controllers had to improvise diversions, pilots were forced to choose between fuel and safety, and The protocols revealed cracks in a sky where passenger planes and reusable rockets now share space.; a scenario that forces us to rethink how risk is managed when the boundary between both worlds becomes increasingly narrow.
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