Indonesian island inhabitants protest against SpaceX 'invasion' of their land

Inhabitants of a colonised Indonesian island selected for use by Elon Musk’s SpaceX venture are protesting against the billionaire’s company invading their land, reports The Guardian.

Locals of Biak island in Papua province say plans to locate the SpaceX launch pad on their land will disrupt the ecosystem, increase the military presence and cause communities to be displaced and lose their homes.

The location is ideal for launching low-orbit communication satellites because its position near the equator means using less fuel. Musk was offered use of the land by Indonesia’s president Joko Widodo in December 2020.

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