Elon Musk found himself grounded on Thursday after the California Coastal Commission refused to allow his Space X program to launch fifty rockets from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County.
The commissioners, chosen by the governor and legislative leaders, voted 6-4 against the Air Force’s plan. They worried that allowing SpaceX to launch rockets would count as “military activity,” even though they weren’t carrying military payloads. Military missions are exempt from environmental permits, meaning they are out of the reach of the California Coastal Commission.
Commissioner Dayna Bochco said she doesn’t think Space Force has proven that SpaceX is part of the federal government or national defense.
The Space Force is a branch of the United States military focused on protecting U.S. interests in space. It was founded in December 2019 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. Space Force equips and organizes military personnel for space operations, such as surveillance and missile warning systems. Space Force is controlled by the Department of the Air Force, a branch of the Department of Defense.
Musk’s SpaceX works with the Space Force to launch satellites and support military operations. The partnership has included launching military payloads and providing services related to space transportation.
The Coastal Commission, known for strongly protecting public access to California’s 840-mile coastline, has been disputing with the Air Force’s Space Force branch since May 2023, when the Department of Defense asked to increase SpaceX’s satellite launches from Vandenberg from six to 36 per year.
Tensions grew in August when the commission criticized the Department of Defense for not following its advice to lessen the effects of the launches. These launches disturb wildlife and force people to evacuate from Jalama Beach.
Ultimately, the commission agreed to the 36-launch plan but only if Space Force followed seven steps to protect the environment and keep coastal access open. During the hearing, military officials didn’t agree with these steps, which led to strong criticism from the commissioners. Commissioner Dayna Bochco said that Space Force had “shown disrespect” during the August meeting.
The two sides seemed to find some common ground when the Air Force, in charge of Space Force, agreed in September to meet the seven conditions. These included reducing loud sonic booms and improving wildlife monitoring.
Before the hearing, a bipartisan group of state and federal lawmakers supported Musk’s application. They argued that California should take advantage of the Department of Defense’s support for the commercial space industry.
Commissioner Justin Cummings voted to approve the plan but expressed concern about the lack of information on the effects of the launches and shared worries about SpaceX being labeled as a military contractor.
That goodwill was short-lived, however, when Musk’s conservatism derailed the vote. The debate shifted to topics like Musk’s political statements, his support for former President Donald Trump, his remarks about transgender people, and the labor practices of his companies.
The commissioners criticized the company’s labor practices and questioned the Department of Defense’s claim that the launches should get military permit exemptions.
The California Coastal Commission didn’t try to hide its bias against Musk.
Commissioner Gretchen Newsom (no relation to California Governor Gavin Newsom) stated at Thursday’s meeting in San Diego that Musk is traveling around the country, “spreading political lies” and attacking FEMA while “claiming he wants to help hurricane victims” by providing free Starlink internet access.
Commission Chair Caryl Hart quickly doubled down on Newsom’s comments. “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.”
Now, Musk is suing the California Coastal Commission for “naked political discrimination.” The lawsuit names the commission, its executive director Kate Huckelbridge, and the 12 current commissioners, including Newsom.
But Hart denies politics played a role in the decision, saying that the commission decided that SpaceX needed to apply for a coastal development permit because it is a private company and not officially part of Space Force.
However, a quick look at the transcripts blows that theory to the stars.
