EIS comments needed on Space X military launches in California

 

Environmental Impact Statement for Authorizing Changes to the Falcon Launch Program at Vandenberg Space Force Base

The US Space Force and Elon Musk's Space X launch company are attempting to circumvent environmental regulations at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

Space Force and Musk wish to fill Lower Earth Orbit (LEO) with war fighting satellites (intel, targeting, and ultimately weapons) at the exclusion of other nations like China and Russia. The available spaces in the LEO parking lot are getting scarce.

The California Coastal Commission (CCC) has the authority to regulate all actions that have impacts on the coastal environment. So far the Space Force and Musk have told the CCC to take a hike.

I've submitted comments to the environmental impact statement (EIS) shown below. I urge others to write comments as well to show growing global concern about this issue are indeed widespread. 

To send comments click here.  Scroll to bottom of the page to find comment section.

GN comments to the EIS: 

Our organization supports the good work of the California Coastal Commission that has repeatedly expressed serious objection to the planned dramatic escalation of Space X rocket launches from Vandenberg.

Sadly though the US Space Force and Elon Musk have rejected the authority of the CCC to regulate launches. 

The concerns are over environmental impacts (land, air, ocean), noise pollution, ozone depletion from launch exhaust, and more. 

It is obvious to us that the Pentagon is rushing to occupy as much of Lower Earth Orbit (LEO) as possible in order to keep other nations from using the declining numbers of parking spots for satellites.

This is an aggressive action by the US Space Force which will likely lead to conflict in space over time.

Any war in space, and the resulting Kessler Syndrome, could make it near impossible for future rocket launches to get thru the dangerously growing orbiting mine field of debris.

For all these reasons the proposal to increase launches should be flatly rejected.

Bruce K. Gagnon

Coordinator

Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space