Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX said this week that federal regulations stymie innovation and hurt U.S. dominance in space exploration.
In a lengthy statement Tuesday, the company said federal red tape has restricted its ability to launch rockets consistently.
“Starships need to fly. The more we fly, the faster we learn; the faster we learn, the sooner we realize full and rapid rocket reuse,” SpaceX wrote. “Unfortunately, we continue to be stuck in a reality where it takes longer to do the government paperwork to license a rocket launch than it does to design and build the actual hardware. This should never happen and directly threatens America’s position as the leader in space.”
The company said it received a two-month delay for its next flight, scheduled for November, due to what SpaceX termed a superfluous environmental analysis. According to the Brownsville, Texas-based firm, the rocket has been ready to launch since August.
SpaceX’s frustration with red tape lines up with Mr. Musk, who has long voiced his concern that heavy regulation in the space industry could stifle innovation. Concerning the launch delay, the CEO said, “We will never get humanity to Mars if this continues.”
The delay and SpaceX’s irritation came as the company received criticism from environmentalists and regulators over its impact on the air and water. While SpaceX says its rocket launches haven’t seriously hurt the atmosphere, regulators reported in August that the rockets caused pollution in Texas.
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.
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