The FAA plans to high quality SpaceX for failing to transmit launch information
A Falcon 9 rocket will launch a number of Starlink satellites into orbit on April 29, 2022.
SpaceX
The Federal Aviation Administration is seeking a $175,000 fine against Elon Musk’s SpaceX for failing to submit required data ahead of the Falcon 9 launch last year.
The proposed civil penalty comes from a mission using Starlink satellites that SpaceX launched on Aug. 19.
The FAA says the company failed to “transmit launch collision analysis trajectory data directly to the FAA” prior to the mission, which federal regulations require at least seven days in advance.
“Launch collision analysis trajectory data will be used to assess the likelihood of the launch vehicle colliding with any of the thousands of tracked objects orbiting the Earth,” the FAA noted in a press release.
In its enforcement letter, the FAA determined that the maximum civil penalty for such a federal violation is $262,666. The regulator is targeting a lower amount after reviewing its investigation into the incident.
The mission was one of 61 launches SpaceX performed in 2022, setting a new annual record for the company. Since the beginning of this year, it is currently launching one mission into orbit every four days on average.
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The company has 30 days to respond to the FAA’s notice. SpaceX did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment on the charges.
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