SpaceX files to join FAA as defendant in lawsuit trying to shut down Boca Chica
SpaceX on May 19, 2023 submitted a motion to become a defendant in the lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and others that demands its Starship/Superheavy launchsite at Boca Chica be shut down.
“SpaceX’s Starship/Super Heavy launch program hinges on the FAA’s review and licensing decision challenged here. If the Court were to rule in Plaintiffs’ favor, the FAA’s decision could be set aside, and further licensing of the Starship/Super Heavy Program could be significantly delayed, causing severe injury to SpaceX’s business,” the company said in the motion, which was filed on May 19.
The full motion can be read here [pdf].
SpaceX’s motion notes that it has followed all government regulations in the decade since it established its Boca Chica launch site, and invested more than $3 billion in doing so. The motion points out that “the FAA does not adequately represent SpaceX’s interests” and that the company must participate because the lawsuit will have direct financial impact on its business.
In other words, the big guns are now being hauled out against this lawsuit, which on its face is somewhat weak. We shall see if it can withstand the much more aggressive fight that SpaceX is certain to put up.
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SpaceX on May 19, 2023 submitted a motion to become a defendant in the lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and others that demands its Starship/Superheavy launchsite at Boca Chica be shut down.
“SpaceX’s Starship/Super Heavy launch program hinges on the FAA’s review and licensing decision challenged here. If the Court were to rule in Plaintiffs’ favor, the FAA’s decision could be set aside, and further licensing of the Starship/Super Heavy Program could be significantly delayed, causing severe injury to SpaceX’s business,” the company said in the motion, which was filed on May 19.
The full motion can be read here [pdf].
SpaceX’s motion notes that it has followed all government regulations in the decade since it established its Boca Chica launch site, and invested more than $3 billion in doing so. The motion points out that “the FAA does not adequately represent SpaceX’s interests” and that the company must participate because the lawsuit will have direct financial impact on its business.
In other words, the big guns are now being hauled out against this lawsuit, which on its face is somewhat weak. We shall see if it can withstand the much more aggressive fight that SpaceX is certain to put up.
The support of my readers through the years has given me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Four years ago, just before the 2020 election I wrote that Joe Biden's mental health was suspect. Only in this year has the propaganda mainstream media decided to recognize that basic fact.
Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Even today NASA and Congress refuses to recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are five ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation:
5. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above. And if you buy the books through the ebookit links, I get a larger cut and I get it sooner.
Government Agencies do seem to enjoy being sued now.
What better way to get money to your friends?
Punishing your enemies is just a bonus.
It was just announced that Elon musk will appear with DeSantis in Rons announcement Running for president…
It’ll be interesting to see how this all ties together.
“Elon musk will appear with DeSantis”
That’s too bad. DeSantis is swamp. He has the full backing of the swamp: the Bush family, RINO bloggers, Fox news….
James Street: Based on what DeSantis has done, I see no evidence that he is a creature controlled by the swamp. Instead, he appears to be a hard-nosed man of principles unafraid of anyone in his effort to do the right thing, for freedom and law and morality.
From the article:
Essentially, these groups are complaining about a non-problem, a problem that did not happen, despite an unforeseen worst-case scenario (or even a worse-than-anticipated-worst-case scenario). The fire isn’t the first, yet launches were approved despite the occasional brush fire. Heck, even nature causes its own brush fires. Should we revoke nature’s license to operate in the area? Outlaw lightening strikes? Hmm.
Robert, as long as DeSantis keeps “saying the quiet parts out loud” he is worthy of support. As is Trump for the same reason. May the best man win.
My preference? That Trump gets back in the White House, DeSantis stays as governor, and they – along with Kristi Noem, Greg Abbott and others – work together to leverage federalism to move as much power as they can out of occupied DC.
My fear is that the GOP campaign consultants will pressure DeSantis and/or Trump to stop “saying the quiet parts out loud” and either/both end up up like Scott Walker in 2016. That could result from enough people throwing Trump under the bus because they prefer a fire-and-forget hero to defending the need for his disruptive approach and STQPOL.
Edward, you know how they think: the presence of man is the problem. Their cognitive dissonance regarding the origin of lightning strikes never registers with them because of that.
Jester Naybor: We are in agreement on all points.
Re: Desantis – Robert wrote:
“I see no evidence that he is a creature controlled by the swamp.”
As did I at first. I was happy to see the way Florida was pushing back. Then a few months ago I read this:
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/08/19/for-those-with-eyes-to-see/
Almost everything predicted months ago has come true.
Jester “gets it!” Proper use of Federalism and the Courts are the only means to stave off – short of proper education (a much longer term solution), what is the inevitable result. The most “uncivil” of acts, civil war……..
What fun it can be to read what seem to be boring documents. We dan learn so very much about an organization.
For quite some time, we have been unsure how much of the nearly $10 billion that SpaceX has raised for Starship and for Starlink has gone into each of these projects. We now have a good idea.
From the document filed for SpaceX’s motion to intervene:
Elsewhere, the filing tells us the beginning date for this amount of expenditure:
This does not give us a definitive number, but we now have a lower limit on how much SpaceX has invested in Starship. Since it is in the company’s best interest to give as large a number as possible, we can be fairly sure that SpaceX has not yet invested $4 billion in this project.
Although this amount also includes the development of infrastructure and ground support, it gives us a better number for comparing the Starship/Super Heavy development with other rocket development projects.