Musk angrily retaliates against FAA! SpaceX declares war on $633,000 fine.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk recently announced plans to sue the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States, accusing the agency of "overregulation." This decision comes after the FAA fined SpaceX $633,000 for violations of permits and safety regulations in two launch missions last year. The FAA pointed out that during the EchoStar XXIV mission to Jupiter in July 2023, SpaceX used an unapproved rocket propellant farm. Additionally, the FAA mentioned that in a launch a month prior, SpaceX modified the communication plan and activated a new unapproved launch control room. Despite the FAA explicitly informing SpaceX two days before the launch that no modifications to its license would be allowed, SpaceX proceeded with the launch plan. Musk took to the social media platform X to express his dissatisfaction with the FAA's civil penalties, describing it as a "legal battle." In his post, he questioned the FAA's decision-making, noting that NASA trusts SpaceX to handle all crew transportation to and from the International Space Station while the FAA leadership seems to think they know better. Musk also stated that he believes the evidence that will be revealed soon will show that the FAA's actions were improper and politically motivated. In a recent blog post, SpaceX expressed dissatisfaction with the current regulatory environment, especially regarding the challenges of launch and reentry permits. Last year, the FAA fined SpaceX $175,000 for failing to submit required data before the Falcon 9 launch in 2022, a fine that SpaceX paid in full in October. In August, the FAA had to revoke approval for an environmental review of SpaceX's Starship super heavy rocket due to SpaceX failing to disclose multiple enforcement actions from Texas and federal environmental agencies. The recent civil penalties proposed by the FAA further highlight the difficulties the agency faces in obtaining the necessary information for reviewing and authorizing SpaceX launches and reentries. Additionally, the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality found that SpaceX repeatedly violated the Clean Water Act and failed to obtain proper permits for industrial wastewater discharge at its Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas. In addition to conflicts with the Federal Aviation Administration and environmental regulatory agencies, Musk also clashed with the National Labor Relations Board. He filed a federal lawsuit, alleging that the structure of the NLRB is unconstitutional, and its administrative procedures violate the principle of separation of powers. As of now, the FAA has not responded to requests for comment from CNBC. As the legal dispute between SpaceX and the FAA unfolds, industry observers will closely monitor the battle between regulation and innovation.