• By Alex David
  • Tue, 19 Aug 2025 12:16 AM (IST)
  • Source:JND

California regulators have once again rejected the US Space Force's proposal to significantly expand SpaceX rocket launches from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Southern California. The decision, delivered unanimously by the California Coastal Commission, marks the second rejection of such a plan in two years.

The Space Force had sought approval to double annual launches from 50 to 100. Still, the commission ruled that the military failed to provide adequate data on the potential environmental impact on wildlife and nearby communities.

“There are a number of unanswered questions that make it really quite impossible for us to engage. We see no appearance by US Air Force, US Space Force or SpaceX to answer the questions,” said Caryl Hart, vice chairman of the commission.

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Previous Rejection and Ongoing Dispute

The Commission first declined to license the increase in 2023, when it admonished SpaceX to secure a commercial launch permit rather than invoking the federal permit path. At that time, a litigation threat emerged following on-Commission comments that bracketed the corporate chief’s pronounced convictions.

In the current session, the Commission limited its deliberation to exposure of data deficiencies and risks to the coastal ecosystem, opting to omit any reference to the CEO of SpaceX from the formal proceedings.

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Concerns Over Environmental Impact

The commission expressed unease over the potential consequences of sonic booms for both marine fauna and the nearby residential population. It also challenged the Space Force’s claim that all launches qualify as federal activity exempt from state oversight, noting that many missions are commercial and not military-related.

“There’s a possibility of causing irreversible harm to our coastline and our coastal resources. We owe it to the public and to the future to insist on data-driven, transparent decision making,” said Commissioner Raymond Jackson.

Consequently, the denial signals that California authorities will evaluate future SpaceX activities against stringent benchmarks of clarity, ecological safeguarding, and legally mandated permitting, establishing a legal precedent that extends well beyond a single operational timeline.