SpaceX dinged by FAA for failing to get mission changes approved

SpaceX dinged by FAA for failing to get mission changes approved

Photo collage of Elon Musk.
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photo by STR / NurPhoto, Getty Images

On Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposed a set of fines that total $633,009 over what it says were two instances of SpaceX launching missions with unapproved changes in violation of its license, as well as skipping a required step for launch. In response, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk threatened to sue the agency on a claim of “regulatory overreach.”

The FAA says one set of fines totaling $350,000 is related to a June 18th, 2023 launch in which SpaceX used an “unapproved launch control room for the PSN SATRIA mission,” and skipped a required “T-2 hour readiness poll.” The company had requested approval for the changes in May, the FAA says, but never got it.

Similarly, the company sought clearance for a new rocket propellant...

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Summary

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed fines totaling $633,009 against SpaceX for launching missions with unapproved changes and skipping necessary procedures. One notable incident involved a June 18, 2023 launch where SpaceX used an unapproved launch control room and did not conduct a required readiness poll. SpaceX had requested approval for these changes but did not receive it. In response to the FAA's actions, CEO Elon Musk has threatened to sue the agency, claiming regulatory overreach.

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