The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a civil penalty of $633,009 against SpaceX for safety violations during two of its 2023 missions. The violations, which stem from the company’s failure to follow required launch procedures, have prompted the FAA to take enforcement action.
According to the FAA’s statement, SpaceX committed three separate safety violations across different missions, leading to the proposed fine. These violations are in line with the agency’s safety standards for spaceflights.
Violation 1
The first violation took place on June 18, 2023, during the PSN SATRIA mission. SpaceX had submitted a request to revise its communication plans for the mission but proceeded to use an unapproved launch control room.
Additionally, the company failed to conduct the mandatory T-2 hour poll before launch. Each of these violations is subject to a $175,000 fine, totaling $350,000 for this mission.
Violation 2
The second violation occurred during the July 2023 EchoStar XXIV/Jupiter mission. SpaceX had requested a revision to the explosive site plan at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center but used an unapproved rocket propellant for the mission. This violation carries a proposed civil penalty of $283,009.
SpaceX has long been under scrutiny by the FAA, particularly with regard to its experimental Starship program and various launch mishaps.
Over the years, the company has faced multiple violations and delays. One significant incident was the delay of Starship test flights, which were held up due to the lack of a proper FAA launch license.
In addition to these challenges, SpaceX has been involved in an environmental lawsuit over potential risks to wildlife and the ecosystem near its Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas.
Earlier this year, the FAA grounded SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket following a mishap, delaying the company’s Starlink satellite deliveries and the Polaris Dawn mission.
Meanwhile, Rocket maker SpaceX, valued internally at $350 billion, stands as one of the world’s most valuable private startups, though it remains a fraction of the worth of its founder Elon Musk’s electric-car company, Tesla (TSLA.O), which boasts a $1 trillion market value. However, by 2025, it will be clear that SpaceX’s ambitions beyond Earth far surpass its terrestrial counterparts.
It embodies Musk’s entrepreneurial philosophy: innovate, then reduce costs to outpace competitors. While Tesla’s 2006 “master plan” outlined producing a premium car first to fuel down-market expansion, SpaceX’s growth trajectory has been even more explosive—and considerably harder to match.
With the latest violations, SpaceX faces a hefty fine. The company was given 30 days to respond to the FAA’s proposed penalties as of September 2024.
