Overview

• The commission voted 11-0 to reject SpaceX’s proposal to raise annual Vandenberg launches from 50 to 95, covering Falcon 9 and up to five Falcon Heavy missions with expanded landing zones.
• A staff report noted that SpaceX conducted 46 of last year’s 51 launches at the base and that most proposed flights serve its Starlink network rather than federal missions.
• Commissioners cited inadequate wildlife-monitoring programs and gaps in sonic-boom modeling as key deficiencies in the company’s application.
• The U.S. Department of the Air Force maintains the expansion qualifies as a federal activity exempt from state permitting, though it did not participate in Thursday’s hearing.
• SpaceX’s pending federal lawsuit alleges that the Coastal Commission overstepped its authority and singled out the company for political reasons.