California Rejects Elon Musk’s Plan to Increase SpaceX Launches

California regulators have rejected the U.S. Space Force’s plan to increase SpaceX launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base, citing insufficient data on environmental and community impacts.

On Thursday, the California Coastal Commission voted unanimously against raising the number of annual launches from 50 to 100, saying officials had failed to answer critical questions.

“There are a number of unanswered questions that make it really quite impossible for us to engage,” Vice Chair Caryl Hart said. “We see no appearance by U.S. Air Force, U.S. Space Force or SpaceX to answer the questions.”

This marks the second time the commission has opposed a Space Force proposal to increase launch frequency in Santa Barbara County, per Politico.

In October, commissioners voted 6-4 against raising launches from 36 to 50 per year, prompting Elon Musk to file a lawsuit against the agency, arguing that SpaceX should not be subject to state commercial permits for federally sanctioned launches.

Commissioners noted that the Space Force has argued all launches are federal activity, exempting them from state oversight. Yet the panel questioned whether most launches, many of which carry commercial payloads, should receive federal immunity from permitting.

“There’s a possibility of causing irreversible harm to our coastline and our coastal resources,” Commissioner Raymond Jackson said. “We owe it to the public and to the future to insist on data-driven, transparent decision making.”

Staff members recommended rejecting the proposal, highlighting concerns over sonic booms’ effects on wildlife and neighboring communities. Environmental groups applauded the decision but acknowledged that the commission lacks authority to halt the launch increase.

Military officials, citing federal preemption and national security, have already moved forward with the plan after the October vote.

“It feels a bit like we’re speaking into a void,” said Jennifer Savage, California policy associate director for the Surfrider Foundation.

Unlike the previous meeting, Space Force and SpaceX did not attend Thursday’s hearing and did not respond to commission staff requests for updates on environmental mitigation or coastal access plans.

The absence drew criticism from some lawmakers who supported the launch increase.

“The Space Force Base and the federal government, in my judgment, should be doing everything they can to make sure that this is grounded in science and that we know that we’re doing the most we can to mitigate the impacts of these launches,” state Assemblymember Gregg Hart, a Democrat representing the region, said in an interview last week.

Despite the rejection, the U.S. Space Force is expected to proceed with the increased launch schedule. The branch is also planning construction of a second launch site at Vandenberg later this year to support the higher launch volume, expanding SpaceX’s Falcon 9 operations in Southern California.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who appoints four of the commission’s members, has previously sided with Musk, criticizing the commission’s October vote for mixing environmental concerns with personal attacks against Musk and his political positions.

Thursday’s hearing, however, focused almost entirely on procedural and data gaps rather than the SpaceX CEO.

Federal preemption ensures that the Space Force can continue with its plan regardless of state opposition. As the Space Force moves forward, critics are warning that insufficient oversight could threaten both local ecosystems and public safety, while supporters emphasize national security and the growing importance of space operations.

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