After the California Coastal Commission denied an increase in SpaceX launches at Vandenberg Base citing Elon Musk's politics, the Pentagon moves to boost annual launches from 36 to 100.
The US military is preparing to increase SpaceX Falcon 9 launches to 100 per year at Vandenberg Space Force Base, despite the California Coastal Commission voting to restrict them.
In October, the commission voted 6-4 to deny a proposal to increase Falcon 9 launches from 36 to 50 per year at the base -- a site that SpaceX frequently uses to launch Starlink satellites.
Some on the board cited SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's politics as reasons for the denial, though they noted that the US military could override its vote.
It looks like the Pentagon is doing just that. The Department of the Air Force has kicked off a federal process to examine the environmental effects of expanding Falcon 9 launches from the base. "The overall launch cadence for Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy at both SLCs [Space Launch complexes], combined, would be 100 launches per year," the department says in its notice.
The process calls for the US military to hold meetings next month and give the public a chance to comment on the increased SpaceX activity. The goal is to conduct studies and publish a draft of the "Environmental Impact Statement" next spring before finalizing a decision in the fall.
"The purpose of the Proposed Action is to increase the space launch mission capability of the USS Department of Defense (DOD) and other federal and commercial customers and to enhance the resilience and capacity of the nation's space launch infrastructure, while promoting a robust and competitive national space industry," the department adds.
Although SpaceX is a private company, it's become a major launch provider for the US military, which includes sending up spy satellites through SpaceX's Starshield program. By expanding the number of Falcon 9 launches, Vandenberg aims to "maximize" its capacity for the private sector, the Department of the Air Force says.
Vandenberg didn't directly confirm that it's trying to bypass the California Coastal Commission. Instead, a Space Launch Delta 30 Public Affairs representative at the base tells PCMag that it wants to understand if an increase in Falcon 9 launches would generate more sonic booms.
"To better understand and mitigate the impact of launch noise, Vandenberg has partnered with the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Brigham Young University to study these conditions and improve prediction accuracy," the representative says.
Still, the spokesperson notes: "As of 2024, Vandenberg Space Force Base has launched 46 spaceport and test range missions, with 41 of these being Falcon 9 rockets."
This suggests SpaceX has been able to exceed the 36 limit from the coastal commission because the rockets are carrying US military payloads. In November, US Space Force also quietly published a document that shows it authorizing the launch of up to 50 Falcon 9 rockets for this year from Vandenberg.
"While the [California Coastal Commission] can approve or deny permits from private companies and individuals that affect the coast, it can't deny a federal activity," a retired Air Force commander also wrote in a SpaceNews.com column last month.
The commission didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. But in its federal notice, the Department of the Air Force mentions "consultation under the Coastal Zone Management Act," which suggests the commission may have some say.
SpaceX has also filed a lawsuit, urging a US court to overturn the commission's October decision. The company argues that the California regulator has "engaged in naked political discrimination." But it could take months for the court to arrive at a decision.