Space Garbage Lawsuit Settled by Party Game Company

Highlights

• Settlement: SpaceX has resolved a lawsuit with Cards Against Humanity.
• Background: The lawsuit stemmed from SpaceX allegedly trespassing on land purchased to block a border wall.
• Legal Fees: Cards Against Humanity chose to settle to avoid high legal costs despite confidence in winning.
• Outcome: The company plans to return the land to its natural state following the settlement.

SpaceX has settled a lawsuit filed by Cards Against Humanity, which accused the rocket company of illegally trespassing on a plot of land in Texas. The popular party game company had bought the land in an attempt to foil President Donald Trump’s plan to build a border wall between Mexico and the U.S.

Cards Against Humanity reached a settlement with SpaceX just weeks before a trial was set to begin on November 3, the Associated Press first reported. Although the company was not able to disclose the specific terms of the settlement, it did state that SpaceX “packed up the space garbage and fucked off,” Cards Against Humanity wrote in an update.

What led to the lawsuit?

As a leading company in the burgeoning rocket business, SpaceX has a long list of foes, but this may be the oddest feud the company has gotten involved in.

Cards Against Humanity bought the plot of land in 2017, collecting money from donors to “make it as time-consuming and expensive as possible for Trump to build his wall.” A total of 150,000 people donated $15 each to help the company do so.

What were the allegations against SpaceX?

In September 2024, the company filed a lawsuit against SpaceX for allegedly using the vacant land as its own for at least a year by dumping construction material and equipment, as well as parking vehicles on the property. The lawsuit sought up to $15 million from SpaceX to cover the cost of restoring the plot of land.

Did SpaceX ignore property rights?

A court document acquired by Ars Technica revealed that SpaceX did not ask for permission to use the property and ignored its private ownership, in addition to a “No Trespassing” sign perched on a fence. After acquiring other vacant lots along the road, SpaceX began to clear the land of vegetation and filled it with gravel, and the site was used to run equipment and lights.

Why did Cards Against Humanity settle?

Cards Against Humanity ultimately decided to settle the lawsuit rather than go to trial. “Under Texas law, even if we had won at trial (and we would have, given their admission to trespassing), we likely wouldn’t have been able to recoup our legal fees,” the company said in a statement to Ars Technica. “And SpaceX certainly seemed ready to dramatically outspend us on lawyers.”

The card game company had promised to pay its donors if they had won the lawsuit. Since Cards Against Humanity was unable to get any money from SpaceX, the company designed a free mini-pack of cards all about Elon Musk to send out to the people who helped it buy the land in the first place.

What is the future of the land?

“Soon, the land will be returned to its natural state: no space garbage, and still completely free of pointless fucking border walls,” the company wrote to its donors.