SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced that the company will file a lawsuit against the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) over a proposed $633,009 fine related to last year's unauthorized launches, which Musk called a “legal war.”
quartz Reports The FAA has proposed a massive $633,009 fine against Elon Musk's SpaceX for using unauthorized plans for two separate launches in 2023. The aerospace company, which currently dominates the commercial space launch market, is currently facing legal action over what the government claims was a failure to comply with safety requirements.
According to the FAA, SpaceX filed for amendments to its plans for a license to launch rockets from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida in May 2023. The amendments included adding a new launch control room and removing a readiness vote from the procedures. However, in June 2023, SpaceX used an unauthorized launch control room for the mission and did not conduct the required votes. As a result, the FAA is proposing a penalty of $175,000 for each of these violations. Additionally, the FAA is seeking an additional penalty of $283,009 related to SpaceX's unauthorized use of a rocket propellant farm in July 2023.
In response to the proposed fines, Elon Musk announced on his social media platform X that SpaceX would sue the FAA for “regulatory overreach.” Musk described the proposed fines as “loafers,” a term often used to describe the use of the legal or institutional system to delegitimize an opponent.
The development comes on the heels of SpaceX's recent criticism of the FAA, alleging that regulations are preventing it from flying rockets. The company cited fines and investigations from the government agency as impeding its business. SpaceX also claimed that the FAA delayed the fifth test of its Starship megarocket from September to November due to “extra environmental analysis.”
Breitbart News previously reported that the FAA grounded the Falcon 9 rocket after the landing incident.
The FAA said in a statement Wednesday that while no public injuries or property damage were reported, it is seeking an investigation into the incident. This is the second time in less than two months that the FAA has ordered a SpaceX rocket grounding, having made a similar declaration on July 12 when the Falcon 9 upper stage failed during the Starlink 9-3 mission, resulting in the loss of 20 satellites.
SpaceX Vice President of Falcon Launch Vehicles John Edwards expressed sadness over the loss of the booster in a social media post, saying, “Losing a booster is always sad. Each booster has its own history and characteristics. Thankfully, this doesn't happen often, thanks to our robust design and the vigilance of our team.” He added that SpaceX is working diligently to determine the root cause and implement corrective measures, emphasizing that the incident is purely a recovery issue and not a threat to the primary mission or public safety.
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