The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has responded to SpaceX and CEO Elon Musk’s claims the reasons behind the administration’s proposed $633,009 in fines and delay in approving Starship’s next launch were politically motivated.
The friction between SpaceX and the FAA is not new, and stems from the administration’s stance on safety regulations and compliance. Whitaker addressed the U.S. House Transportation Committee, emphasizing that SpaceX failed to follow permitting and licensing procedures, which led to the delay of its fifth test launch.
In particular, the FAA required SpaceX to submit an updated sonic boom analysis, a study to assess how the rocket’s return to Boca Chica, Texas, might affect the surrounding wildlife.
In response to SpaceX’s multi-page letter last week, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker defended the administration’s decisions to delay SpaceX’s next Starship rocket launch to November and the proposed $633,009 fine for past violations.
According to Whitaker, the FAA’s actions are rooted in maintaining a high standard of safety. “I think the sonic boom analysis is a safety-related incident,” Whitaker said during the hearing, emphasizing that SpaceX must follow the regulations for both public safety and environmental protection. (via Politico)
Musk, however, sees things differently. Last week, he took his grievances to Congress, submitting a letter that refuted the FAA’s claims of SpaceX violating launch requirements. Musk’s legal team argued that the FAA’s actions were unwarranted and called for a re-evaluation of the agency’s involvement in what SpaceX deemed “petty matters.”
Musk’s criticism didn’t stop there. On social media, he accused the FAA of focusing disproportionately on SpaceX while overlooking more significant safety issues within Boeing’s Starliner program, a NASA-contracted project to transport astronauts to the International Space Station.
Whitaker rejected this notion of favouritism. “I think Boeing and SpaceX should have the same oversight,” he told Reuters after the hearing, adding that both companies would benefit from stronger safety management systems, such as those used in aviation. He argued that implementing whistleblower programs and adhering to rigorous safety protocols would be a step in the right direction for SpaceX, whose innovative streak has sometimes collided with regulatory frameworks.
Whitaker maintained that safety must come first, citing the importance of completing necessary risk analyses before any launch. For SpaceX, moving forward will require complying with these regulations—a sentiment Whitaker reiterated multiple times during his congressional testimony.
