FAA Proposes $633,000 Fine to SpaceX for Alleged Rocket Launch Infractions

SpaceX is facing a possible $633,009 fine from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for allegedly skipping certain safety procedures in two Falcon rocket flights last year. “Safety drives everything we do at the FAA, including a legal responsibility for the safety oversight of companies with commercial space transportation licenses,” FAA chief counsel Marc Nichols said in a Sept. 17 statement announcing the proposed civil penalty. “Failure of a company to comply with the safety requirements will result in consequences.” The first Falcon 9 flight in question is the PSN SATRIA mission, which involved launching an Indonesian communication satellite from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on June 18, 2023....