Elon Musk's SpaceX is planning to expand its operations at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the Starship rocket. However, this has triggered unexpected opposition: Nudists.

The potential closure of Playalinda Beach has been met with strong criticism from environmentalists and the nudist community. The American Association for Nude Recreation argues that this will harm both the local ecosystem and tourism.

Former regional director Deborah-Sue Stevens stated that the closure of this beach would affect a quarter of a million people. She also emphasized that the launches of Starship threaten the habitats of sea turtles.

Supporters of SpaceX argue that the project will bring billions of dollars in investment to the region and create hundreds of new jobs. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that this investment could reach 1.8 billion dollars.

Construction of the Starship launch tower at Kennedy Space Center has been ongoing for over a year. The nudist community argues that the closure of Playalinda will further restrict their available spaces.