Space
SpaceX Claims Political Bias Against Musk on California Launches
- Company sues state agency for voting down extra launches
- The federal government could pre-empt board to get them
People watch a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a payload of 22 Starlink internet satellites into space, after launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base, on March 18, 2024.
Photographer: Mario Tama/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX sued a California agency for voting down additional rocket launches by the company in the state, claiming it was motivated by “naked political discrimination” against the billionaire chief executive for his views.
The lawsuit comes after members of the California Coastal Commission on Thursday voted against a request by the US military for an increase in SpaceX launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base, northwest of Los Angeles. The board voted 6-4 against raising the annual number of launches permitted at the base from 36 to 50, according to SpaceX.