Elon Musk said on Tuesday that SpaceX will file a lawsuit against the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), accusing the agency of “regulatory overreach.”
“SpaceX will be filing suit against the FAA for regulatory overreach,” Musk said in a post on X.
The tech billionaire’s comments came after the FAA proposed fines of $633,000 against SpaceX on Tuesday, alleging Musk’s company did not “follow its license requirements” related to a pair of launches last summer.
The agency alleged SpaceX incurred $350,000 in fines during a June 18, 2023, launch by using an “unapproved control room” and not “conduct[ing] the required T-2 hour poll.”
The other roughly $283,000 in fines stemmed from a July 28, 2023, launch in which Musk’s company allegedly “used the unapproved rocket propellant farm,” the FAA said.
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SpaceX asked for a revision in its communications plan for the June 2023 launch and one for its explosive site plan for the July 2023 mission, according to the FAA’s press release.
“Safety drives everything we do at the FAA, including a legal responsibility for the safety oversight of companies with commercial space transportation licenses. Failure of a company to comply with the safety requirements will result in consequences,” FAA Chief Counsel Marc Nichols said in a statement.
SpaceX has a 30-day response window for the fines, according to the FAA.
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FOX Business reached out to SpaceX for comment on the proposed fines and Musk’s social media post.
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The company has a strong presence in the space industry, including contracts with the federal government. It notched its 90th mission of the year on Tuesday.
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