The CCC now rejects the Space Force plan to launch more rockets from Vandenberg because some commissioners don’t like Elon Musk, who also builds electric cars. This exposes the CCC as a partisan political body with no purpose beyond preserving its own power, with no accountability to the people.
SpaceX catches giant Starship booster
"SpaceX’s plans to launch more rockets from the California coast were rejected by a state commission this week,” the Los Angeles Times reports, “with some officials citing Elon Musk’s political posts on X and raising concerns about the billionaire’s labor record at his companies.” The California Coastal Commission (CCC) rejected the SpaceX plan “despite assurances from Space Force and Air Force officials that they would increase efforts to monitor the effects that rocket launches have on nearby wildlife.”
"In August, the commission asked Space Force to monitor more closely how sonic booms affect southern sea otters, California red-legged frogs, the western snowy plover and the California least tern. “I’m beyond pissed,” proclaimed commissioner Susan Lowenberg. “I don’t understand why our own government is thumbing their nose at another branch of our government.” Perhaps this is because this “branch of government” was not elected by the people.
"Lowenberg is a 2023 appointee of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, and all commissioners are appointed by the governor, the Senate Rules Committee, and the Assembly Speaker. In the Space Force matter, the Lowenberg Corporation president enjoys the support of fellow commissioners.
" 'We don’t want to stop the rockets, we don’t want to stop their satellites, and we certainly don’t want to enable any kind of defense problem,” proclaimed commissioner Dayna Bochco. “But this is ridiculous.” Bochco, an attorney, is the wife of the late television producer Steven Bochco, and served as president of Steven Bochco Productions, producer of shows such as Doogie Houser MD and Cop Rock. A member of the Natural Resources Defense Council, Bochco was reappointed to the CCC in 2023.
"Vandenberg Space Force Base in California’s Santa Barbara County plans to increase launches from six to 36 per year. Commissioner Kristina Kunkel worried that the CCC could be “bullied into ignoring environmental protections.” By October, it was apparent that the real problem was SpaceX and its founder Elon Musk." . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment