Space

Elon Musk Gets an Apology From California Regulators as a SpaceX Lawsuit is Settled

SpaceX had sued the commission over its opposition to expanding the launch schedule for Falcon 9 rockets

Associated Press

Associated Press

— 2 min read
Elon Musk Gets an Apology From California Regulators as a SpaceX Lawsuit is Settled
Photo of a Falcon 9 rocket launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base, by Airman 1st Class Rocio Romo

LOS ANGELES, April 29, 2026 (AP) — California regulators apologized to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk this week as they settled a lawsuit that claimed a state agency showed political bias against the rocket company and its chief executive.

As part of the settlement, the California Coastal Commission acknowledged its members made “improper” statements about Musk's political beliefs at a 2024 hearing on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch program.

“The commission agrees that it may not consider irrelevant factors in performing its function and specifically agrees that it will not take into account the perceived political beliefs, political speech or labor practices of SpaceX or its officers in considering any regulatory action concerning SpaceX,” the commission said in federal court documents filed Tuesday.

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Space SpaceX Elon Musk California Coastal Commission OpenAI Sam Altman

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