Elon Musk Vows To Sue California Over SpaceX Launch Permissions

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced on Monday that he is threatening legal action against the California Coastal Commission for rejecting  a request for more launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County partially on the basis for Musk’s comments on platforms like X.

Earlier this year, SpaceX and the U.S. Space Force were planning for more launches from Vandenberg SFB. Under their plan, they wanted  permission to have as many as 50 launches per year. However, in order to do that, state permissions were needed, even if the federal government had already signed off. As it is near the coast, the Space Force needed permission from the California Coastal Commission (CCC) for the increased number of launches.

However, on Thursday of last week, the CCC voted 6 to 4 during a meeting in San Diego against more launches. Officially, the reason was that Space X wouldn’t have to get their own permits for a military launch, even if nothing from the military was being launched.

“I do believe that the Space Force has failed to establish that SpaceX is a part of the federal government, part of our defense,” said CCC Commissioner Dayna Bochco on Thursday.

However, another reason was given by at least two commissioners: Elon Musk’s comments on X and his recent political activities.

“Elon Musk is hopping about the country, spewing and tweeting political falsehoods and attacking FEMA while claiming his desire to help the hurricane victims with free Starlink access to the internet,” expressed Commissioner Gretchen Newsom, who is not related to Governor Gavin Newsom. “It appears that rather than prioritizing the welfare of SpaceX employees and the environment, the focus has been on profit maximization.”

Commission chairwoman Caryl Hart added, “You could argue that it’s bringing in politics, but this is a political matter to some extent because it involves the US government, it involves the Coastal Commission. We are dealing with a company, the head of which has aggressively injected himself into the presidential race.”

Both Musk and the Space Force quickly fired back.

“Today’s vote hasn’t changed Vandenberg’s unwavering commitment to preserving the California coastline and the precious species that reside there,” said Air Force assistant Secretary Ravi Chaudhary. “The Space Force’s dedication to collaboration here is in many ways unprecedented. So is our commitment to ensuring dialogue continues.”

Over the weekend, Musk took it further, threatening legal action on a post on X.

“Incredibly inappropriate. What I post on this platform has nothing to do with a ‘coastal commission’ in California! Filing suit against them on Monday for violating the First Amendment,” posted Musk. “Tuesday, since court is closed on Monday.”

Incredibly inappropriate. What I post on this platform has nothing to do with a “coastal commission” in California!

Filing suit against them on Monday for violating the First Amendment. https://t.co/bDgFPTdNal

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 13, 2024

With a suit now likely on Tuesday, Musk’s latest quarrel with California will go on the path of so many of his other fights with the state. With many now bracing for a new lawsuit come Tuesday, many are simply awaiting to see the extent it will be.

“All SpaceX has to prove is that their launches have military uses. You could argue with Starlink people can access the Navy website or something,” said aerospace consultant Miles Green to the Globe on Monday. “But the big piece of the pie in the case will be the Commissioners voting against it because of something personal. It is a first amendment thing.

“I’ve been a consultant for companies that had owners or CEOs who said a lot of things publicly, but they never had anything rejected for it. Misfiled paperwork or what have you, sure. But nothing for what they actually did. That’s why the official CCC reason is the question about the military launch part of it and permits. But the commissioners made the mistake of saying the thing they were not supposed to say and saying it anyway. It’s all on the record, the real reason.

“And look, you can dislike somebody. But you need to keep personal feelings out of decisions and go straight on the facts of something. And all those Commissioners who made this personal? No, all those Commissioners who made this personal and then talked about it. That was not smart. And now they may be paying for it in a lawsuit.

“No matter what he does, he always seems to be fighting a Newsom.”

The suit is expected to be filed on Tuesday.