In a legal dispute between Elon Musk and the California Coastal Commission over the number of rockets the billionaire’s company can launch from the coast, Gov. Gavin Newsom has sided with Musk, saying over the weekend, “I’m with Elon.”
The comment by the governor is surprising because Musk, a staunch supporter of former President Trump, has often clashed with Newsom in public disputes over transgender rights, “deepfakes” and other issues that have often descended into crude posts from Musk on social media.
Newsom made the comments to Politico during an interview as the California governor campaigned for Vice President Kamala Harris in North Carolina.
The SpaceX dispute centers around the Coastal Commission’s rejection of the company’s plan to increase the number of rockets it launches from Vandenberg Space Force base near the Santa Barbara coast to 50 a year. The commission, made up of appointed members, is tasked with regulating development of land and protecting the natural resources along the coast.
The commission has most recently agreed for SpaceX to launch up to 36 times a year from Vandenberg. So far this year, the company has launched 34 rockets, with the most recent one occurring Saturday.
Military officials told the commission they expected to submit another request by March to increase the number of SpaceX launches to 100 a year.
The commission has most recently agreed for SpaceX to launch up to 36 times a year from Vandenberg. So far this year, the company has launched 34 rockets, with the most recent one occurring Saturday.
Military officials told the commission they expected to submit another request by March to increase the number of SpaceX launches to 100 a year. Read the full story from the Los Angeles Times