SpaceX Faces $633,000 Fine from FAA for Alleged Rocket Launch Violations

SpaceX is facing a potential $633,009 fine from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for allegedly skirting certain safety procedures in two Falcon rocket flights last year.

“Non-compliance with safety requirements will have consequences,” he added.

The first flight in question is the PSN SATRIA mission, where an Indonesian communication satellite was launched from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on June 18, 2023.

Prior to this mission, SpaceX reportedly requested changes to its communications plan related to its license to launch from the Florida site, including adding a new launch control room and eliminating a readiness poll taken before liftoff.

SpaceX proceeded with the launch with these changes before receiving FAA approval, resulting in a proposed $175,000 fine for each alleged violation.

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The second incident involved the July 28, 2023, launch of the Jupiter 3 telecom satellite carried by a Falcon Heavy rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

For this mission, SpaceX used a newly built propellant farm at the Kennedy Space Center without proper approval, leading to a proposed $283,009 penalty.

SpaceX has 30 days to respond to the FAA’s enforcement letter.

Elon Musk, in a post on his social media platform X, criticized the proposed penalty as “excessive regulation.”

“SpaceX will be taking legal action against the FAA for overstepping their bounds,” Musk stated.

These fines add to SpaceX’s frustration with FAA and government regulators, with the company recently publishing a post condemning the regulatory process in the launch industry.

“Starships need to launch. The more we launch safely, the more we learn; and the sooner we achieve full rocket reuse,” SpaceX emphasized, highlighting delays in regulatory approvals hindering progress.

“This bureaucratic process threatens America’s leadership in space,” SpaceX concluded.

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