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Bloomberg
SpaceX is facing a $175,000 fine from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for failing to provide proper advance data about an August 2022 Starlink launch and its potential for collision with debris in orbit.
“SpaceX was required to submit the data to the agency at least seven days prior to an attempted launch,†the FAA said in a statement.
The company, formally known as Space Exploration Technologies Corp, has 30 days to respond to the agency once it receives the enforcement
letter. SpaceX didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Elon Musk’s rocket company has been filling out its massive Starlink internet-from-space initiative by periodically launching batches of satellites. The company has more than 3,500 Starlink satellites in orbit. It conducted a record 61 orbital launches last year, including a significant number for Starlink.
This isn’t the first time SpaceX has run afoul of FAA launch regulations. In 2020, the company violated its launch license with the FAA when it sent a prototype of its Starship rocket on a high-altitude test flight, according to the Verge. The craft exploded upon landing.