US Air Force Suspends SpaceX Project Over Reason Musk Swore Off Eggs Once

The US Air Force has suspended a proposed rocket cargo delivery programme involving SpaceX after concerns that the project could severely disrupt a vital seabird sanctuary in the Pacific. The objections are similar to an earlier controversy when CEO Elon Musk, responding to bird nest damage caused by a SpaceX launch, said that he would give up omelettes for a week "to make up for this heinous crime."

According to Space.com, the now-paused project was part of a US military initiative to explore the use of commercial rockets, such as those built by SpaceX, to deliver up to 100 tonnes of military cargo anywhere in the world within 90 minutes. The concept was being tested under the Rocket Cargo programme managed by the Air Force Research Laboratory.

The proposed testing site - Johnston Atoll - is a 2.5 square km uninhabited island located about 1,300 km from Hawaii. The atoll is part of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument and is federally protected as a wildlife refuge.

Biologists and conservationists sounded the alarm, warning that rocket landings could devastate critical nesting grounds for 14 species of tropical seabirds, including red-tailed tropicbirds, white terns, and boobies. The island is one of the few remaining safe havens for these species, and any significant disruption could impact entire breeding cycles.

The concerns led to increased scrutiny after Reuters published a report featuring comments from scientists who worked on the atoll. Shortly after, the Air Force suspended the tests.

While SpaceX was never officially named as a private partner in the program, its rockets were among the commercial systems considered for the tests. The company has previously faced backlash for the environmental impact of its launches.

In April 2023, a SpaceX Starship launch from Boca Chica, Texas, triggered a powerful blast that destroyed nesting areas and eggs of the endangered piping plover. The incident drew criticism from environmental groups and regulators, and even landed on the front page of The New York Times.

Reacting to the coverage on X, Musk posted, "To make up for this heinous crime, I will refrain from having omelette for a week."

The Rocket Cargo programme was originally pitched as a revolutionary logistics platform that could allow the US military to bypass conventional transport routes, reaching remote or conflict-prone regions rapidly.