Elon Musk Sues Coastal Commission over Vandenberg Launches
Governor Gavin Newsom Says Commission Overstepped Its Bounds by Citing Political Objections
Elon Musk sued the California Coastal Commission in federal court last week, charging the state agency violated his first amendment rights to free political speech when it voted 6-4 to deny a “determination of consistency” for his plans to expand the number of SpaceX rockets launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base from 36 to 50.
In voting against the determination, several commissioners expressed horror at the pro-Trump rhetoric Musk has been “spewing” against immigrants on his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), among other things. Musk, who donated $75 million to Trump’s reelection campaign, was also taken to task by some commissioners for his labor code violations and work safety issues at other SpaceX launching sites. Likewise, some commissioners cited Musk’s strident anti-woke rhetoric, especially as it relates to trans rights.
Musk argued the commission sought to punish him for his political views by withholding support for a toothless but necessary declaration that the proposed increase in rocket traffic from Vandenberg was consistent with the state’s coastal zone management act.
Governor Gavin Newsom — no fan of Musk’s — went on record this week, stating the commission overstepped its bounds by citing political objections to what should be an environmentally based decision.
Commissioners have also objected — long and loud — that Musk has not been subjected to the level of environmental scrutiny he and SpaceX should get because they’ve been afforded the same environmental exemptions given to federal agencies such as the Department of Defense and the Air Force.
Since the beginning of this year, Musk and the U.S. Space Force have increased the cadence of rocket launches from Vandenberg from six to 36 and most recently to 50. By the year’s end, another increase — to 100 launches a year — will be proposed.
A coalition of coastal environmental organizations have issued a statement demanding that SpaceX and its proposal to increase rocket launches be subjected to full environmental analysis.
The Space Force lacks the capacity to launch rockets into orbit and contracted with SpaceX, which deploys the reusable Falcon 9 rockets to launch military and spy communications equipment into orbit. But for every rocket with a military payload that SpaceX launches, it launches another nine for private satellite companies that have a strictly commercial application. The military to date has balked at any effort separate the two functions, arguing they’re inextricably linked.
