The Bahamas, due to its visionary outlook and geography, is now part of a space tourism business, predicted to be a $14 billion industry by 2030, and in the trillions by 2040.
That, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation the Hon. Chester Cooper during a Bahamas SpaceX Briefing at the ministry on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.
He made the statement on the heels of Bahamian-American aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe and four other crew women’s historic travels on Blue Origin’s eleventh flight to space under the New Shepard programme on Monday, April 14, 2025.
“Her space flight marked a new milestone — for her, for us, and for the commercial space industry,” said the deputy prime minister as he congratulated Bowe on her latest quest. He also noted that Bowe’s mission showed that the commercial space industry is not a distant dream anymore. It is real and growing fast.
“Space exploration is now part of the global economy— not just the global imagination. We can be a serious player in the frontier that will define the next century,” he said.
The minister said however that with every great opportunity comes challenges, and “we will always put the safety of our people, our waters, and our environment first.
“That is why we have spearheaded the legal reforms necessary for rigorous regulation and fully engaged the expertise of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).”
Several weeks ago, the Ministry of Tourism hosted a successful controlled landing of a SpaceX Falcon-9 booster in The Bahamas.
“It was planned with our involvement, and it was executed flawlessly,” the minister said. “Exuma and Eleuthera were proud to host the many visitors – self-proclaimed space tourists — who came to witness the moment.”
And, early last month, SpaceX launched a Starship from their Starbase facility in Texas. The intended site for re-entry was thousands of miles away, in the Indian Ocean. It was not intended to enter Bahamian air space, confirmed the minister.
Nine minutes into the March 6th flight, the Starship began to break up, an incident visible from many countries, including The Bahamas, and debris from the Starship flight test 8 vehicle was discovered in Bahamian waters. The debris was collected and removed outside the country at the full expense of SpaceX, the minister confirmed.
“The Bahamas was not involved in any way with the planning of that rocket’s flight, but we were impacted by it,” the minister said. “Notwithstanding, there will be no further Falcon landings in The Bahamas until SpaceX has completed a full Environmental Impact Assessment.”
He continued: “The cost and logistics of this effort are being handled entirely by SpaceX, in accordance with international standards and under Bahamian oversight, to ensure compliance with safety and environmental standards.”
The minister also shared that the Office of the Attorney General and DEPP are reviewing to ensure compliance with international Outer Space Treaties and Conventions.
All SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket landings in The Bahamas have been suspended pending a full post-launch examination, following last month’s SpaceX Starship explosion.
Dr. Rhianna Neely, Director of The Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP) present at the press conference said no further clearances would be granted until a thorough environmental assessment is completed and reviewed by all stakeholders. Officials hope to receive the final report by Easter.
Meanwhile, SpaceX Vice-President of Launch Kiko Dontchev said preliminary findings show no environmental impact from the incident.
Also present at the press conference was Kimberly Furnish, Charge d’Affaires, United States Embassy, Nassau.
The post Space tourism business, “now part of the global economy— not just the global imagination,” says DPM Cooper appeared first on ZNS BAHAMAS.
