Officials in California Reject SpaceX Launches Due to Elon Musk’s Politics
State officials referenced Musk's antics as a reason for denying SpaceX's proposal to launch additional rockets from the Central California coast.
TroibNews 
Elon Musk's recent tweets about the presidential election and the dissemination of misinformation regarding Hurricane Helene are jeopardizing his capacity to launch rockets from California's central coast.
On Thursday, the California Coastal Commission rejected a plan from the Air Force that would have allowed SpaceX to launch up to 50 rockets annually from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County.
"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," remarked Commissioner Gretchen Newsom during the meeting in San Diego.
The commission, appointed by the governor and legislative leaders, voted 6-4 against the Air Force's proposal, citing concerns that all SpaceX launches would be classified as military activity. This would allow the company to avoid the necessity of obtaining its own permits, regardless of whether it was carrying military payloads.
"I do believe that the Space Force has failed to establish that SpaceX is a part of the federal government, part of our defense," stated Commissioner Dayna Bochco.
Following the meeting, a spokesperson for Space Launch Delta 30, responsible for military launch operations on the West Coast, expressed that the Air Force has been working closely with commission staff regarding environmental protection and intends to continue those efforts.
"Today’s vote hasn’t changed the [Department of the Air Force] or Vandenberg’s unwavering commitment to preserving the California coastline and the precious species that reside there," said Jennifer Green-Lanchoney. "The Space Force’s dedication to collaboration here is in many ways unprecedented — so is our commitment to ensuring dialogue continues."
The Coastal Commission, known for its vigorous defense of public access to California’s 840-mile coastline, has had ongoing discussions with the Air Force’s Space Force since May 2023. At that time, the Department of Defense (DOD) requested to increase SpaceX’s satellite launches from Vandenberg from six to 36 annually.
Tensions escalated in August when commissioners expressed frustration toward the DOD for not adhering to their suggestions aimed at minimizing the environmental impact of the launches, which affect local wildlife such as the threatened snowy plover and force nearby residents to evacuate Jalama Beach during launches.
The commission ultimately approved the 36-launch plan during that meeting, contingent on Space Force implementing seven measures to enhance environmental protection and coastal access. However, military representatives did not commit to these measures during the hearing, resulting in significant backlash from commissioners.
“Space Force came here and intentionally disrespected us,” Bochco commented at the August meeting.
By the time of Thursday's meeting, there appeared to be some progress, as the Air Force agreed in September to comply with the commission's seven requirements, including measures to reduce sonic booms and improve wildlife monitoring.
A bipartisan group of state and federal lawmakers had also expressed support for the Air Force's application, arguing California should capitalize on the DOD's investment in the commercial space sector.
However, this goodwill dissipated as commissioners voiced concerns about Musk's political statements, criticized the company's labor practices, and questioned the DOD’s argument that the launches deserved military permitting exemptions even when not carrying military payloads.
“I really appreciate the work of the Space Force,” said Commission Chair Caryl Hart. “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.”
Commissioner Justin Cummings supported the plan but expressed discomfort over the lack of data regarding the impacts of the launches and shared concerns about 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 added.
SpaceX officials did not attend the hearing in person, instead providing a statement via Zoom in support of the Space Force's request. The company has yet to respond to recent inquiries for comment.
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
On Thursday, the California Coastal Commission rejected a plan from the Air Force that would have allowed SpaceX to launch up to 50 rockets annually from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County.
"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," remarked Commissioner Gretchen Newsom during the meeting in San Diego.
The commission, appointed by the governor and legislative leaders, voted 6-4 against the Air Force's proposal, citing concerns that all SpaceX launches would be classified as military activity. This would allow the company to avoid the necessity of obtaining its own permits, regardless of whether it was carrying military payloads.
"I do believe that the Space Force has failed to establish that SpaceX is a part of the federal government, part of our defense," stated Commissioner Dayna Bochco.
Following the meeting, a spokesperson for Space Launch Delta 30, responsible for military launch operations on the West Coast, expressed that the Air Force has been working closely with commission staff regarding environmental protection and intends to continue those efforts.
"Today’s vote hasn’t changed the [Department of the Air Force] or Vandenberg’s unwavering commitment to preserving the California coastline and the precious species that reside there," said Jennifer Green-Lanchoney. "The Space Force’s dedication to collaboration here is in many ways unprecedented — so is our commitment to ensuring dialogue continues."
The Coastal Commission, known for its vigorous defense of public access to California’s 840-mile coastline, has had ongoing discussions with the Air Force’s Space Force since May 2023. At that time, the Department of Defense (DOD) requested to increase SpaceX’s satellite launches from Vandenberg from six to 36 annually.
Tensions escalated in August when commissioners expressed frustration toward the DOD for not adhering to their suggestions aimed at minimizing the environmental impact of the launches, which affect local wildlife such as the threatened snowy plover and force nearby residents to evacuate Jalama Beach during launches.
The commission ultimately approved the 36-launch plan during that meeting, contingent on Space Force implementing seven measures to enhance environmental protection and coastal access. However, military representatives did not commit to these measures during the hearing, resulting in significant backlash from commissioners.
“Space Force came here and intentionally disrespected us,” Bochco commented at the August meeting.
By the time of Thursday's meeting, there appeared to be some progress, as the Air Force agreed in September to comply with the commission's seven requirements, including measures to reduce sonic booms and improve wildlife monitoring.
A bipartisan group of state and federal lawmakers had also expressed support for the Air Force's application, arguing California should capitalize on the DOD's investment in the commercial space sector.
However, this goodwill dissipated as commissioners voiced concerns about Musk's political statements, criticized the company's labor practices, and questioned the DOD’s argument that the launches deserved military permitting exemptions even when not carrying military payloads.
“I really appreciate the work of the Space Force,” said Commission Chair Caryl Hart. “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.”
Commissioner Justin Cummings supported the plan but expressed discomfort over the lack of data regarding the impacts of the launches and shared concerns about 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 added.
SpaceX officials did not attend the hearing in person, instead providing a statement via Zoom in support of the Space Force's request. The company has yet to respond to recent inquiries for comment.
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
