The California Coastal Commission on Thursday voted against a proposal by Elon Musk’s SpaceX to almost double its permitted annual Falcon 9 rocket launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base, raising the limit from 50 to 95.
As with a similar vote last October when the panel opposed an increase from 36 to 50 launches-the decision can be overridden by the U.S. government. The U.S. Department of the Air Force, which oversees the Space Force, maintains that the expansion is a federal matter exempt from state regulation.
A commission staff report noted that of the 51 rockets launched from Vandenberg last year, 46 were SpaceX Falcon 9s. While some flights support U.S. defence and NASA missions, most of the proposed increase would serve SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network. The company is also seeking to expand launch operations at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Air Force officials did not attend Thursday’s meeting in Calabasas, where the panel voted 11-0 against the plan. Neither SpaceX nor the Air Force provided immediate comment. SpaceX has sued the commission over its earlier objections, alleging the agency targeted the company in retaliation for Musk’s political views.
The new plan calls for up to 95 Falcon 9 launches a year, five Falcon Heavy launches, and up to 24 landings of reusable boosters- double the current approval along with two new landing pads and more at-sea landings. Commission staff recommended rejection, citing a lack of detailed information, concerns over noise and wildlife disruption from increased sonic booms, and the impact of more frequent closures of nearby public beaches and campgrounds within launch hazard zones.
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Late on Thursday evening, Russian drone strikes in northeastern Ukraine’s Kharkiv region resulted in the deaths of three people and left three others injured, regional authorities reported.
Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defence has warned that the terrorist group Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)’s inability to integrate into the Syrian army poses a serious threat to the country’s political and territorial integrity.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un assured Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday that Pyongyang will continue to stand by Beijing in safeguarding its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and development interests, according to North Korean state media KCNA on Friday.
Türkiye has reiterated its readiness to play a leading role in efforts to secure a just and lasting peace in the Russia-Ukraine war.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
U.S. President Donald Trump will host more than two dozen technology and business leaders on Thursday for a dinner in the newly renovated White House Rose Garden, a White House official said.
SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft successfully completed an initial test Wednesday to demonstrate a new capability that helps maintain the International Space Station’s (ISS) orbital altitude.
A Chinese research team has unveiled a prototype washing machine designed for use in space, joining a growing international push to solve one of the more mundane but pressing challenges of long-duration missions: laundry.
The world’s seven largest technology companies – Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Nvidia and Tesla – collectively reported a net profit of $143 billion in the second quarter, representing a 27.6% increase year-on-year, according to their financial statements.
Billionaire Elon Musk filed a motion on Thursday seeking to dismiss a civil lawsuit brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which accused him of waiting too long in 2022 to disclose a significant stake in social media platform Twitter, later renamed X.
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