Comments on: Confirmed: California’s coastal commission is looking for ways to block SpaceX launches at Vandenberg

By: Greg the Geologist

Greg the Geologist — Fri, 10 May 2024 22:28:25 +0000

That the state Controller’s office (a financial watchdog, supposedly) has a bureaucrat with the title of Environmental Policy Director tells you everything that’s wrong here in California. And, to the question above, “why the coastal highway recently fell into the sea”, we all know the answer to that. Of course, Climate Change!

New bumper sticker idea: “SEN!” (Stop Erosion Now!)

By: pzatchok

pzatchok — Sat, 20 Apr 2024 05:22:38 +0000

Battle monkeys and lasers on sharks were my ideas!!!!

Confound him!!!!!!!!

By: James Street

James Street — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 17:24:34 +0000

“Elon Musk with space lasers and killer robots”
– David K

And, from what I understand, Top Secret Battle Monkeys (but don’t tell anyone)
https://t.ly/qkgZF

By: David Reid Ross

David Reid Ross — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 16:51:02 +0000

Jay Johnson (harrumph!) makes a good point, that “military” flights could be coupled with commercial payloads. Because “rideshare” is now possible on Falcon 9:
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-launches-first-bandwagon-rideshare-mission/
If not, SpaceX might simply decide to launch Starships from Florida and North Tamaulipas. Those are the agencies I’m more worried about; California frankly is a rogue state at this point.

By: Unclezip

Unclezip — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 15:58:39 +0000

Absolutely correct, Jay. They love telling us to “stay in your lane”.

By: Ray Van Dune

Ray Van Dune — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 15:25:13 +0000

Does the Commission have a report ready on why the coastal highway recently fell into the sea, and what they are going to do to prevent future impacts like this on development, not to mention life and limb?!

Viability of coastal highways = your knitting
Operations at Vandenberg SFB = DoD’s knitting

Stick to yours.

By: Rocket J Squirrel

Rocket J Squirrel — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 01:35:09 +0000

Jay:
Not just StarShield. Its come out that SpaceX and the NRO are designing imaging satts that look like Starlink comm satts. Right now its easy to figure out when an imaging satt goes overhead and try and plan around it. If you can’t tell well then its a problem.

By: David K

David K — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 00:38:36 +0000

If we are really going into world war 3, who do you trust more, the current military industrial complex that can’t even launch to the ISS, or Elon Musk with space lasers and killer robots? I know where my money is.

By: pzatchok

pzatchok — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 00:18:15 +0000

If Space X is doing nothing but increasing the number of launches and not actually building any new facilities then I can not see the commission having a leg to stand on.

The military could build everything needed and loan it to Space X.

By: Edward

Edward — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 23:01:32 +0000

From the article:

“I just don’t think that SpaceX should be able to skirt the requirements for a Coastal Development Permit when its clear intent is to conduct primarily for-profit business activity and not federal activity,” said Kristina Kunkel, the Environmental Policy Director of the California State Controller’s Office.

In a nation of We the People, it is good to know that the government considers government activity to be of primary importance and considers that the commerce that gives us our livelihoods and keeps us all fed, alive, and healthy comes last.

Wait a minute …

From the very first sentence of the article:

On April 10, the California Coastal Commission postponed a decision on SpaceX’s proposal to increase launches at Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) from six to 36, and landings to 12 annually.

So, SpaceX has asked for permission to increase the launch cadence, but somehow Kristina Kunkel sees that as “skirt[ing] the requirements for a Coastal Development Permit” (as though launches are coastal development)? Those bureaucrats in the California State Controller’s Office sure see the world from a different perspective, in their ivory towers. It is so good to know that the government of the people, by the people, for the people, has not perished from the earth.

It has only perished from California.

By: SamE

SamE — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 21:49:12 +0000

These California bureaucrats have a ton of work from home freedom. I wonder how many works are sitting in the new $500M O Street office building on a typical work day? Must be at least a baker’s dozen. I wonder if Kristina Kunkel (quoted in the article) even lives in California?

By: Jay

Jay — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 21:18:56 +0000

Rocket J Squirrel has a good idea. If things go poorly for SpaceX at Vandy, they could slip in one StarSheild satellite with every batch of StarLinks and call it a military flight.

By: Rocket J Squirrel

Rocket J Squirrel — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 19:49:28 +0000

Well since SpaceX is mixing DoD communication, and in the future imaging, satellites in potentially every launch of Starlink they could say that each flight is a government contract. Because of security reasons they just can’t say anymore than that.

By: James Street

James Street — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 18:17:42 +0000

I like the space industry’s response: they didn’t bother to show up to the meeting. The military needs to stand up to and crush these godless commies. But our military is a bunch of sissy bois in high heels and dresses and will capitulate.

By: F

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 17:35:00 +0000

Orange Man Bad

and now . . .

Musk Man Bad