The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Tuesday that it is seeking $633,009 in fines against SpaceX for violating launch site license requirements during two recent launches from Florida's Space Coast. The violations stem from launches conducted at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Space Launch Complex 40 and Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A.
According to the FAA’s press release, SpaceX failed to adhere to key safety protocols for both the June 18, 2023, launch of the PSN SATRIA mission aboard a Falcon 9 rocket and the July 28, 2023, Falcon Heavy launch of the EchoStar XXIV/Jupiter mission.
The FAA alleged that SpaceX used unapproved systems and bypassed safety checks during the launches, leading to the proposed penalties. The fines were calculated following civil penalty guidelines outlined in federal statutes.
“Safety drives everything we do at the FAA, including a legal responsibility for the safety oversight of companies with commercial space transportation licenses,” said Marc Nichols, FAA Chief Counsel, in the release. “Failure of a company to comply with the safety requirements will result in consequences.”
Violations Detailed
For the June 18 Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral, the FAA said that SpaceX had requested revisions to its launch license, including adding a new launch control room at Hangar X and removing a T-2 hour readiness poll from its launch procedures. However, the FAA had not approved these changes by the time SpaceX used the new control room and skipped the readiness poll for the mission. The FAA is proposing a fine of $175,000 for each of these violations.
In the case of the July 28 Falcon Heavy launch from Kennedy Space Center, SpaceX is accused of using an unapproved rocket propellant farm that had been constructed at the launch site. The FAA said that SpaceX had submitted a request to revise its explosive site plan to include the new propellant farm, but the revisions had not been approved at the time of the launch. The FAA is seeking a $283,009 penalty for this infraction.
SpaceX's Response Window
SpaceX has 30 days from receiving the FAA's enforcement letter to formally respond to the proposed fines. The fines follow the FAA’s stringent safety guidelines, which are designed to ensure that commercial space companies comply with federal regulations while conducting high-risk launches.
The FAA’s decision to propose these fines underscores the agency's emphasis on safety and compliance in the rapidly expanding commercial space industry. As SpaceX continues its frequent launch schedule, the company will likely face increasing scrutiny from regulators to ensure adherence to safety protocols.
This development highlights the growing tension between the space industry’s ambitious goals and regulatory bodies' safety concerns. SpaceX has not yet issued a public statement in response to the FAA’s proposed penalties.
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