FAA Moves To Fine SpaceX $175,000 For Failing To Submit Data Ahead Of Launch

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a $175,000 civil penalty against Elon Musk-owned Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SpaceX). 

According to an FAA statement, the civil penalty comes from a mission carrying Starlink satellites that SpaceX launched on Aug. 19, 2022.

SpaceX failed to submit launch collision analysis trajectory data directly to the FAA before the mission, the agency said in the statement. 

“Launch collision analysis trajectory data is used to assess the probability of the launch vehicle colliding with one of the thousands of tracked objects orbiting the Earth,” the FAA said. 

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CNBC has quoted an FAA spokesperson saying that the agency has not previously proposed civil penalties for a rocket operator failing to submit data before a launch, adding that the recent announcement is a first in enforcing its regulations.

After receiving the penalty notice, SpaceX has 30 days to respond to the FAA.

Musk's SpaceX is one of the most valuable private companies in the world, which was recently valued at $137 billion.

SpaceX recently raised a reported $750 million with Andreessen Horowitz. Other investors in the company include Alphabet Inc, Fidelity, and Baillie Gifford. 

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