Mexico has removed a platform contracted by Elon Musk's SpaceX from the Gulf of Mexico following unauthorised recovery operations, as officials mull sanctions against the space technology company.

"The platform had permission to enter the country to retrieve rocket debris but did not meet the requirements to work, and has now been withdrawn," Navy Secretary Raymundo Pedro Morales Angeles told reporters during President Claudia Sheinbaum's morning press conference on July 23.

The move marks an escalation in tensions that began following a catastrophic SpaceX incident last month. On June 18, a Starship rocket exploded during a routine ground test at SpaceX's flagship Starbase facility in Texas, sending debris across the border into Mexico's Tamaulipas state.

The explosion scattered debris including melted plastics, aluminium and adhesive materials onto Bagdad Beach in northern Tamaulipas, habitat for endangered sea turtles. Environmental groups subsequently reported marine die-offs including dolphins, fish and sea turtles.

The dispute underscores the complex regulatory challenges facing the rapidly expanding commercial space industry, particularly when operations straddle international borders. SpaceX, valued at $400bn according to recent reports, has faced mounting scrutiny over the environmental impact of its ambitious rocket programme.

Sheinbaum announced in June that Mexican officials had detected contamination and were reviewing potential legal action under international law. Her administration has spent four weeks reviewing potential actions against SpaceX, focusing on environmental effects from Starship rocket launches.

Environmental organisation Conibio Global, which has documented SpaceX debris on Mexican beaches since November, drew government attention to the platform's unauthorised activities through social media campaigns. The NGO has systematically tracked debris from SpaceX's Starbase facility, located just across the border.

"We are reviewing everything related to the launching of rockets that are very close to our border," Sheinbaum said in June, adding Mexico would "file any necessary claims" if SpaceX violated international laws.

The US Federal Aviation Administration recently authorised SpaceX to increase annual Starship launches from Starbase to 25 from five, raising concerns about increased debris risks. The facility has operated since 2023 as part of Musk's broader ambitions to establish a human presence on Mars.

SpaceX has consistently rejected claims about hazardous debris, maintaining its materials pose "no hazards to surrounding areas" and present no chemical, biological or toxicological risks. The company said it has requested Mexican government assistance for debris recovery and offered cleanup resources.

The cross-border tensions come as Sheinbaum's leftist administration faces pressure from scientists and environmental activists over SpaceX's impact on Mexican ecosystems. The dispute adds to broader US-Mexico tensions over trade, migration, drug trafficking and other bilateral issues, which have intensified after the return to office of President Donald Trump.

Federal authorities are conducting a comprehensive review of international laws regarding safety and environmental impacts from cross-border space operations, highlighting gaps in the regulatory framework governing commercial space activities near national boundaries.

Previous SpaceX explosions have disrupted air traffic across multiple US states, while debris from rocket launches has become a recurring issue for communities near Starbase.