SpaceX Faces FAA Fines: Elon Musk Claims Political Targeting

Exclusive: No, the FAA isn't fining SpaceX because of Elon Musk's politics, former FAA head says

This week, Elon Musk identified a new constraint for his Mars-bound ambitions. It wasn't the -85°F surface temperature, or the 140 million miles he'll need to travel. Rather, it's something far more pedestrian: "The fundamental problem is that humanity will forever be confined to Earth unless there is radical reform at the FAA," he posted on X. That post followed a previous one in which he vowed to sue the government agency, arguing in a series of X posts that the FAA was politically motivated when it levied $633,009 in fines against SpaceX on Tuesday. One fine was for allegedly using an unapproved rocket propellant farm in a launch last year; the other was for using an unauthorized launch control room. SpaceX said in a letter to Congress Thursday it "forcefully rejects" the notion that the company didn't follow FAA procedure. "The FAA space division is harassing SpaceX about nonsense that doesn't affect safety," Musk posted, adding, "I am highly confident that discovery will show improper, politically-motivated behavior by the FAA." But Billy Nolen, the former acting administrator of the FAA in 2023, pushed back against Musk's assertion that the FAA was unfairly targeting SpaceX because, as Musk implied, the billionaire's choice of political candidates to support. As an agency, the FAA "is about as apolitical as it gets," he told TechCrunch. Nolen, who is now the chief regulatory affairs officer of aircraft company Archer Aviation, pointed out that FAA heads purposefully have five-year term limits. That means presidential administrations don't automatically get to appoint a new FAA leader each time a new party is sworn in. "We don't operate on behalf of Republicans or Democrats," he said. Musk's meatier complaint was about the perpetual slowness of the agency. "It really should not be possible to build a giant rocket faster than the paper can move from one desk to another," Musk said at the All-In Summit on Sept. 10. That was an argument that Nolen could empathize with. The FAA, he said, is burdened with an enormous mandate, yet "there's never enough money." The roughly $24 billion budget he was given during his time at the agency may seem like a lot of money. But, he said, about $19 billion was committed to salaries and operations and about $4 billion went to upkeep on an increasingly aging infrastructure. "The agency still has a lot of legacy systems," he said, pointing out that the FAA itself maintains over 200 air traffic control towers. "Some towers are still using paper strips," he said, referring to how some towers are still tracking flights on paper. Nolen said that the agency often doesn't have the budget for new technologies that could help it better regulate a rapidly growing space industry. "The FAA has to be funded to the level of what our expectations are of having a world-class, best-in-class system," he said. Now that Nolen is at Archer, a company working on newfangled electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft -- one of the upstarts that tends to chafe against FAA bureaucracy -- he's thought a lot about what agency changes could help new technology. Within his lifetime, he wants the FAA to become "100% fully predictive" using artificial intelligence, he said. Think of the sheer amount of data soaring through the sky every minute: a single Boeing 787 flight generates a half terabyte of data, according to a 2017 interview with a Boeing engineer. Imagine, Nolen said, "the ability to pull all of that together, synthesize it and say, is there anything in that data that gives us pause?" He emphasized that it would help the agency move faster and speed up approvals for things like, say, SpaceX launches. But Nolen also points out that the FAA relies heavily on experts, turning to engineers, founders and academics to guide its policy, and Musk's anti-FAA rhetoric is damaging. Nolen said it's crucial for someone like Musk, who is "one of the greatest creative minds we have," to cooperate and help the FAA understand what new age space companies need. "We don't ever want to be in a place where there's one set of rules, but if you've got enough money, they don't really apply to you," he said.

'Enough is enough': Elon Musk's SpaceX writes to US Congress, slams proposed FAA fines - Times of India

SpaceX chief Elon Musk on Friday lashed out at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States government, accusing its leadership of "spending resources to attack" his company for petty matters. In a letter to Congress, Space X has also complained about the "FAA's inability to keep pace with the commercial spaceflight industry". Space X has alleged that the FAA's "distractions continue to directly threaten national priorities and undercut American industry's ability to innovate". Musk claimed that even after US space agency Nasa deemed the Boeing capsule "unsafe for astronaut return", the FAA "neglected the safety issues" at Boeing and put human lives at risk. He was referring to astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore's prolonged stay in space against the Nasa initial plans. Nasa, however, has announced that both the astronauts will return to Earth in February 2025 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 spacecraft, following the determination that Boeing's Starliner is not safe for re-entry. "For nearly two years, SpaceX has voiced its concerns with the FAA's inability to keep pace with the commercial spaceflight industry. It is clear that the Agency lacks the resources to timely review licensing materials, but also focuses its limited resources on areas unrelated to public safety. These distractions continue to directly threaten national priorities and undercut American industry's ability to innovate," SpaceX wrote in a letter to Congress. Adding to his company's letter to Congress, Elon Musk wrote on X: "The FAA leadership spends their resources attacking SpaceX for petty matters that have nothing to do with safety, while neglecting real safety issues at Boeing. This is deeply wrong and puts human lives at risk." He further wrote: "NASA deemed the Boeing capsule unsafe for astronaut return, turning, out of necessity, to SpaceX, yet instead of fining Boeing for putting astronauts at risk, the FAA is fining SpaceX for trivia! Enough is enough." The FAA on Tuesday proposed to fine SpaceX $633,000 for allegedly failing to follow license requirements and not getting approval for changes during two launches in 2023. The FAA said SpaceX failed to get approval to revise its communications plan related to its license to launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida including adding a new launch control room at Hangar X and removing the T-2 hour readiness poll from its procedures before a June 2023 launch. SpaceX used the unapproved launch control room for the PSN SATRIA mission and did not conduct the required poll, the FAA said. Last year, the FAA had proposed a $175,000 civil penalty against SpaceX for failing to submit some safety data to the agency prior to an August 2022 launch of Starlink satellites. The TOI Science Desk stands as an inquisitive team of journalists, ceaselessly delving into the realms of discovery to curate a captivating collection of news, features, and articles from the vast and ever-evolving world of science for the readers of The Times of India. Consider us your scientific companion, delivering a daily dose of wonder and enlightenment. Whether it's the intricacies of genetic engineering, the marvels of space exploration, or the latest in artificial intelligence, the TOI Science Desk ensures you stay connected to the pulse of the scientific world. At the TOI Science Desk, we are not just reporters; we are storytellers of scientific narratives. We are committed to demystifying the intricacies of science, making it accessible and engaging for readers of all backgrounds. Join us as we craft knowledge with precision and passion, bringing you on a journey where the mysteries of the universe unfold with every word.

Elon Musk Blasts FAA For Targeting SpaceX Over 'Petty Matters,' While Ignoring Boeing's Safety Issues: This 'Puts Human Lives At Risk' - Boeing (NYSE:BA)

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Inc. and SpaceX, took to X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday to criticize the Federal Aviation Administration for penalizing SpaceX while neglecting safety issues at Boeing Co BA. What Happened: According to Musk's post, the FAA has been focusing on "petty matters" concerning SpaceX, instead of addressing significant safety concerns at Boeing. He stated that this misallocation of resources endangers human lives. Musk referenced a letter from SpaceX to Congress, highlighting the FAA's inability to keep pace with the commercial spaceflight industry. The letter was addressed to key members of the U.S. Congress, including Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.). SpaceX's letter detailed alleged violations cited by the FAA, including the use of an unapproved propellant farm and an updated communications plan. SpaceX denied these allegations, asserting that the FAA's actions were untimely and unrelated to public safety. "This is deeply wrong and puts human lives at risk," Musk wrote. The letter also pointed out that the FAA had approved the same propellant farm for other launches, questioning the consistency of the agency's safety determinations. SpaceX emphasized its commitment to safety and criticized the FAA for its inefficiencies. Musk's post concluded with a call for change, stating, "Enough is enough," and urging Congress to address the FAA's shortcomings. See Also: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk Says Canadian Government Is Funding Starlink Rival For Satellite Internet Despite His Offer To Do It For 'Less Than Half That Amount' As It Wants Its 'Own System' Why It Matters: The recent criticism from Musk comes amid ongoing tensions between SpaceX and the FAA. On Thursday, Musk accused the FAA of imposing a $633,009 fine on SpaceX for regulatory violations, suggesting that the agency shows favoritism towards Boeing. Musk's comments were in response to a post by Mario Nawfal, who criticized the FAA's actions against SpaceX. Musk questioned why Boeing was not fined despite NASA deeming their spacecraft unsafe for returning astronauts. Musk stated, "Amazingly, no Starliner fines for Boeing! The FAA space division is harassing SpaceX about nonsense that doesn't affect safety while giving a free pass to Boeing even after NASA concluded that their spacecraft was not safe enough to bring back the astronauts." Additionally, SpaceX continues to prepare for future Starship flights despite delays in FAA launch clearance. On Thursday, SpaceX tested the engines of its Starship launch vehicle for its sixth flight test, even while its fifth flight's timeline remains uncertain. In a broader context, SpaceX has been making significant strides in its mission goals. On Wednesday, the company launched its 90th mission for the year with a Falcon 9 rocket, which carried the European Commission's Galileo L13 mission to medium Earth orbit from Florida. Despite these achievements, SpaceX still has over a third of its launch target for the year yet to go. Read Next: Mark Cuban Says He Would Buy Rupert Murdoch's Fox News And Elon Musk's X But There Are Some Obstacles: 'I'd Buy It In A Heartbeat' Image Via Shutterstock Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs