A proposed project by Elon Musk’s SpaceX and the U.S. Air Force to test hypersonic rocket cargo deliveries could put the Pacific seabirds that inhabit Johnston Atoll at grave risk, warn biologists who have spent years safeguarding this delicate ecosystem.
Located about 800 miles southwest of Hawaii, Johnston Atoll is a remote wildlife refuge, home to 14 species of tropical birds, including the red-tailed tropicbird, red-footed booby, and great frigatebird. These species have been nesting there for generations, with the atoll’s seabird population growing from a few thousand in the 1980s to around a million today.
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The joint initiative between SpaceX and the U.S. Air Force aims to test rocket re-entry vehicles designed to deliver up to 100 tons of cargo worldwide within 90 minutes, revolutionizing military logistics. But experts fear that such high-intensity operations could have devastating effects on the atoll’s wildlife.
The project plans to construct two landing pads and test 10 rockets over the next four years. Given the atoll’s vital role for the birds, even minor disruptions could be disastrous. “Any aviation activity at this point will have a significant impact,” said Steven Minamishin, a Hawaii-based biologist with the National Wildlife Refuge System. “The noise alone from the rocket would flush birds from their nests, leaving them disoriented and at risk of abandoning their eggs.”
The Air Force has prepared an environmental assessment, which will be available for public comment in the coming weeks. While they claim the project is unlikely to cause significant environmental harm, they acknowledge potential risks to migratory birds. Both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Fisheries Service are being consulted to minimize and mitigate possible impacts.
The Pacific’s uninhabited islands are crucial for these seabirds’ survival, especially as rising sea levels threaten their nesting grounds. Desirée Sorenson-Groves, president of the National Wildlife Refuge Association, stresses the importance of safeguarding these rare habitats. “These remote islands are all that’s left for the birds,” she says. “We’ve invested a lot to restore wildlife here.”
As the SpaceX project moves forward, it remains to be seen whether technological innovation can coexist with environmental preservation in this remote corner of the Pacific.
