A California state commission voted against approving more launches of SpaceXa non-binding signal of discontent with CEO Elon Musk and his rocket company.
The members of the California Coastal Commission voted 6-4 on Thursday, Oct. 10, against a U.S. military request to approve an increased number of the company’s annual launch activities since the Vandenberg Space Force Basenorthwest of Los Angeles.
Before the vote, commission members expressed concern that SpaceX did not request permission herself and submitted to the commission’s questions. Several also expressed their concern about the working conditions in the company and about the increasingly prominent and provocative role of Musk in American politics.
Gretchen Newsoman alternate member of the commission, gave a speech at its Thursday meeting in San Diego in which he cited what he called “alarming reports of Reuters y Bloomberg,” which raised concerns about employee injuries and a “toxic” culture.
Newsom, government affairs representative for the Electrical Workers Union, referred to the dismissal by SpaceX of workers who participated in an open letter in which they expressed their concern for the environment in the company, and their lawsuit against the constitutionality of the US National Labor Relations Board after the organization filed a complaint about those dismissals.
He also said the tech mogul was “jumping around the country vomiting and tweeting political falsehoods and attacking” the Federal Emergency Management Agencythe organization responsible for overseeing hurricane relief.
Appearing via video conference during the meeting, the government affairs director of SpaceXMathew Dunn, told the group: “We are deeply proud to support the Department of Defense in launching the full range of national security space missions.”
Musk and the company did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The federal government has the authority to proceed without the support of the Commission, whose members are appointed by the governor and state legislators. In a statement sent by email, the Department of the Air Force He said “it would be premature to speculate” about whether that would happen.
“The dedication of the Space Forces to collaboration in this case is unprecedented, nor is our commitment to ensuring the continuity of the dialogue,” he declared. Ravi ChaudharyUndersecretary of Energy, Facilities and Environment of the Air Force.
The federal government’s “unwavering commitment” to coastal and species preservation has not changed with the commission’s vote, he said.
Musk has joined Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, whom he has supported and met with on the campaign trail, in amplifying unverified allegations about the government’s response to the storm.
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