The California Coastal Commission has denied Space Force plans for Elon Musk’s SpaceX to launch crucial satellites from Vandenberg Air Force Base because the governmental body doesn’t like Musk’s politics. One commissioner claimed SpaceX should not be allowed to support the American military’s work in space because Musk has “aggressively injected himself into the presidential race.”
Politico reports that in a 6-4 vote on Thursday, the California Coastal Commission rejected the Air Force’s plan to allow SpaceX to launch up to 50 rockets per year from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County. The decision came as a blow to the aerospace company’s ambitions, with commissioners citing concerns over Elon Musk’s political rhetoric and the classification of SpaceX as a military contractor.
During the meeting in San Diego, Commissioner Gretchen Newsom criticized Musk’s behavior, stating, “Elon Musk is hopping about the country, spewing and tweeting political falsehoods and attacking FEMA while claiming his desire to help the hurricane victims with free Starlink access to the internet.” The commission, known for its strict defense of public access to California’s coastline, had been in ongoing discussions with the Air Force’s Space Force branch since May 2023 regarding the proposed increase in SpaceX’s satellite launches from Vandenberg.
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The primary point of contention was the Air Force’s request to shield SpaceX from having to acquire its own permits, even for launches not carrying military payloads. Commissioner Dayna Bochco expressed doubts, saying, “I do believe that the Space Force has failed to establish that SpaceX is a part of the federal government, part of our defense.”
In August, the commission had approved a plan for SpaceX to increase its launches from six to 36 times per year, conditional upon the Space Force agreeing to seven measures aimed at improving environmental protection and coastal access. However, military officials did not commit to these conditions during the hearing, drawing sharp criticism from the commissioners.
Despite a seemingly positive turn in September, when the Air Force agreed to meet the commission’s seven conditions, the goodwill dissipated during Thursday’s meeting. Commissioners raised concerns about Musk’s political rhetoric, the company’s labor record, and the classification of SpaceX as a military contractor.
Commission Chair Caryl Hart acknowledged the work of the Space Force but expressed unease about Musk’s involvement in the presidential race and his management of the company. “I really appreciate the work of the Space Force,” Hart said. “But here we’re dealing with a company, the head of which has aggressively injected himself into the presidential race and he’s managed a company in a way that was just described by Commissioner Newsom that I find to be very disturbing.”
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While Commissioner Justin Cummings voted to approve the plan, he shared concerns about the lack of data on the effects of launches and SpaceX’s classification as a military contractor. “I just want to appreciate all the work that’s been done on this attempt to get to 50 launches,” he said.
SpaceX officials did not attend the hearing in person, instead offering a statement over Zoom in support of Space Force’s request. The company has not yet responded to requests for comment on the commission’s decision.
Read more at Politico here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
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