ProPublica
ProPublica boosted
activity timestamp 2 weeks ago

Trump Administration Looking to Slash Environmental Protection Rules for Rocket Launches
—

A draft executive order viewed by ProPublica directs the secretary of transportation to “use all available authorities to eliminate or expedite” environmental reviews for launch licenses — a change Elon Musk’s SpaceX and others have long sought.

https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-musk-spacex-rocket-launch-environmental-regulation-rollback?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post

#News#Environment#Aviation #SpaceX #Space#ElonMusk#Regulation#Trump

Tim Chambers
Michael Bacon
Tim Chambers and 1 other boosted
Nonilex
@Nonilex@masto.ai  ·  activity timestamp 2 weeks ago

During a pivotal push by #Ukraine to retake territory from #Russia in late Sept 2022, #ElonMusk gave an order that disrupted the counteroffensive & dented Kyiv’s trust in #Starlink, the satellite internet service Musk provided to help Ukraine’s military maintain battlefield connectivity.

Acc/to 3 people familiar with the command, #Musk told a senior engineer at the California offices of #SpaceX to cut coverage in areas including #Kherson, a strategic region north of the #BlackSea.
Nonilex
@Nonilex@masto.ai  ·  activity timestamp 2 weeks ago

…#Musk’s order was an early glimpse of the #power the magnate now wields in #geopolitics & #GlobalSecurity because of #Starlink, a fast-growing #satellite internet service that barely existed early this decade & now provides connectivity even in remote areas of the world. Even before his brief role as donor & advisor to #Trump, Starlink’s success–& the unrivaled connectivity it offers across the planet–had given Musk increasing #influence w/political leaders, governments & militaries worldwide.
Nonilex
@Nonilex@masto.ai replied  ·  activity timestamp 2 weeks ago
#Musk’s sway in #military affairs in Washington & beyond–through #Starlink’s dominance in #satellite #communications & #SpaceX’s clout in #space launches–has reached a dimension previously limited to #sovereign #governments, alarming some regulators & lawmakers. “Elon Musk’s current global dominance exemplifies the dangers of concentrated #power in unregulated domains,” Martha Lane Fox, a member of Britain’s upper house of parliament, said during a debate earlier this year.
Nonilex
@Nonilex@masto.ai  ·  activity timestamp 2 weeks ago

During a pivotal push by #Ukraine to retake territory from #Russia in late Sept 2022, #ElonMusk gave an order that disrupted the counteroffensive & dented Kyiv’s trust in #Starlink, the satellite internet service Musk provided to help Ukraine’s military maintain battlefield connectivity.

Acc/to 3 people familiar with the command, #Musk told a senior engineer at the California offices of #SpaceX to cut coverage in areas including #Kherson, a strategic region north of the #BlackSea.
Graham Perrin
@grahamperrin@mastodon.bsd.cafe  ·  activity timestamp 2 weeks ago

<https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/23/opinion_column_starlink_interference/>

# Musk is messing with the Cosmic Dawn. Will alien hunters save the day for all mankind?

## Science friction at the far end of time for SpaceX and astronomy

"Elon Musk's Starlink flying circus is many things. It's a multi-thousand satellite global internet provider, growing by hundreds of new orbiting relays a month. It's part of intricate geopolitical power games between the Pentagon, the US government, Ukraine, and Musk himself.

"It loves photobombing astronomy photographs, as the satellites drift across fields of view that were intended to snap distant starlight. But for its latest trick, it's humming loudly over the faintest whispers from the dawn of the universe. …"

#Starlink#SpaceX#SETI
The Japan Times
@thejapantimes@mastodon.social  ·  activity timestamp 2 weeks ago

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is expanding its search for partners to build the Golden Dome missile defense system as tensions with billionaire Elon Musk threaten SpaceX's dominance in the program. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/07/23/tech/trump-golden-dome-musk-spacex/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #tech #spacex #us #donaldtrump #republicans #elonmusk #amazon #defense #missiles
ProPublica
@ProPublica@newsie.social  ·  activity timestamp 2 weeks ago

Trump Administration Looking to Slash Environmental Protection Rules for Rocket Launches
—

A draft executive order viewed by ProPublica directs the secretary of transportation to “use all available authorities to eliminate or expedite” environmental reviews for launch licenses — a change Elon Musk’s SpaceX and others have long sought.

https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-musk-spacex-rocket-launch-environmental-regulation-rollback?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post

#News#Environment#Aviation #SpaceX #Space#ElonMusk#Regulation#Trump

ProPublica
ProPublica boosted
activity timestamp last month

Elon Musk’s lobbyists spent tens of thousands of dollars on things like gifts and meals for Texas elected officials this year.

But, in most cases, state transparency laws do not require them to disclose which elected officials they wine and dine.
https://www.propublica.org/article/elon-musk-texas-lobbyists-influence-law?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post

#News#ElonMusk#Texas#Law#SpaceX#Tesla#Government#Business#Musk
ProPublica
@ProPublica@newsie.social  ·  activity timestamp last month

Elon Musk wanted Texas legislators to create new crimes so people who fly drones or interfere with operations at SpaceX can be arrested. And he wanted to change who controlled the highway and public beach near SpaceX’s site so he can launch his rockets according to his timeline.

He got them all.

Read the full story: https://www.propublica.org/article/elon-musk-texas-legislature-laws-spacex-tesla?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post

#ElonMusk#SpaceX#Texas#Law#Business

Table titled "Bills Musk companies took a stand on during the 2025 Texas legislative session." It shows how 2 Texas House and 2 Texas Senate Bills that SpaceX supported all passed. These bills urge Congress to make spaceports eligible for tax-exempt private activity bonds, ban/criminalize drones over spaceports, give the Texas Space Commission power to close highways/gulf beaches near SpaceX's launch site, and define spaceports as critical infrastructure. At the bottom of the graphic are the logos of ProPublica, Texas Tribune, and KUT News.
Table titled "Bills Musk companies took a stand on during the 2025 Texas legislative session." It shows how 2 Texas House and 2 Texas Senate Bills that SpaceX supported all passed. These bills urge Congress to make spaceports eligible for tax-exempt private activity bonds, ban/criminalize drones over spaceports, give the Texas Space Commission power to close highways/gulf beaches near SpaceX's launch site, and define spaceports as critical infrastructure. At the bottom of the graphic are the logos of ProPublica, Texas Tribune, and KUT News.
Table titled "Bills Musk companies took a stand on during the 2025 Texas legislative session." It shows how 2 Texas House and 2 Texas Senate Bills that SpaceX supported all passed. These bills urge Congress to make spaceports eligible for tax-exempt private activity bonds, ban/criminalize drones over spaceports, give the Texas Space Commission power to close highways/gulf beaches near SpaceX's launch site, and define spaceports as critical infrastructure. At the bottom of the graphic are the logos of ProPublica, Texas Tribune, and KUT News.
ProPublica
@ProPublica@newsie.social  ·  activity timestamp last month

Elon Musk wanted Texas legislators to create new crimes so people who fly drones or interfere with operations at SpaceX can be arrested. And he wanted to change who controlled the highway and public beach near SpaceX’s site so he can launch his rockets according to his timeline.

He got them all.

Read the full story: https://www.propublica.org/article/elon-musk-texas-legislature-laws-spacex-tesla?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post

#ElonMusk#SpaceX#Texas#Law#Business

Table titled "Bills Musk companies took a stand on during the 2025 Texas legislative session." It shows how 2 Texas House and 2 Texas Senate Bills that SpaceX supported all passed. These bills urge Congress to make spaceports eligible for tax-exempt private activity bonds, ban/criminalize drones over spaceports, give the Texas Space Commission power to close highways/gulf beaches near SpaceX's launch site, and define spaceports as critical infrastructure. At the bottom of the graphic are the logos of ProPublica, Texas Tribune, and KUT News.
Table titled "Bills Musk companies took a stand on during the 2025 Texas legislative session." It shows how 2 Texas House and 2 Texas Senate Bills that SpaceX supported all passed. These bills urge Congress to make spaceports eligible for tax-exempt private activity bonds, ban/criminalize drones over spaceports, give the Texas Space Commission power to close highways/gulf beaches near SpaceX's launch site, and define spaceports as critical infrastructure. At the bottom of the graphic are the logos of ProPublica, Texas Tribune, and KUT News.
Table titled "Bills Musk companies took a stand on during the 2025 Texas legislative session." It shows how 2 Texas House and 2 Texas Senate Bills that SpaceX supported all passed. These bills urge Congress to make spaceports eligible for tax-exempt private activity bonds, ban/criminalize drones over spaceports, give the Texas Space Commission power to close highways/gulf beaches near SpaceX's launch site, and define spaceports as critical infrastructure. At the bottom of the graphic are the logos of ProPublica, Texas Tribune, and KUT News.
ProPublica
@ProPublica@newsie.social  ·  activity timestamp last month

Elon Musk’s lobbyists spent tens of thousands of dollars on things like gifts and meals for Texas elected officials this year.

But, in most cases, state transparency laws do not require them to disclose which elected officials they wine and dine.
https://www.propublica.org/article/elon-musk-texas-lobbyists-influence-law?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post

#News#ElonMusk#Texas#Law#SpaceX#Tesla#Government#Business#Musk
⚯ Michel de Cryptadamus ⚯
@cryptadamist@universeodon.com  ·  activity timestamp last month

why bother complying with all the onerous rules that regulate the selling of securities to the public when you can just sell them “tokens” instead?

SpaceX and OpenAI are privately held companies that have disclosed virtually nothing about their businesses to the public (which they would be required to do before selling "shares" instead of "tokens" to mere mortals).

you’re looking at the death of 100 years of more or less successful financial regulation. all the rules put into place after the great depression are pretty much kaput.

#SEC#CFTC #regulation #uspol #uspolitics #finance #eupol #economics #stockmarket#SpaceX #openai#AI#HOOD#RobinHood
ProPublica
@ProPublica@newsie.social  ·  activity timestamp last month

During this year’s legislative session in Texas, Elon Musk’s lobbyists and representatives publicly advocated for almost a dozen bills that would benefit his companies.

All but three of his priorities are now slated to become law.
https://www.propublica.org/article/elon-musk-texas-legislature-laws-spacex-tesla?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post

#News#Texas#ElonMusk#SpaceX#Tesla#Law#Business#Musk
⚯ Michel de Cryptadamus ⚯
@cryptadamist@universeodon.com  ·  activity timestamp last month

why bother complying with all the onerous rules that regulate the selling of securities to the public when you can just sell them “tokens” instead?

SpaceX and OpenAI are privately held companies that have disclosed virtually nothing about their businesses to the public (which they would be required to do before selling "shares" instead of "tokens" to mere mortals).

you’re looking at the death of 100 years of more or less successful financial regulation. all the rules put into place after the great depression are pretty much kaput.

#SEC#CFTC #regulation #uspol #uspolitics #finance #eupol #economics #stockmarket#SpaceX #openai#AI#HOOD#RobinHood
jbz
@jbz@indieweb.social  ·  activity timestamp last month

🇲🇽 Mexico’s president threatens to sue over SpaceX debris from rocket explosions • The Guardian

｢ Mexican officials are carrying out a “comprehensive review” of the environmental impacts of the rocket launches for the neighboring state of Tamaulipas, Sheinbaum said ｣

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/25/mexico-president-lawsuit-spacex-debris-rocket-explosions

#spacex #mexico #musk
jbz
@jbz@indieweb.social  ·  activity timestamp last month

🚀 Elon Musk's Latest Rocket Crash Allegedly Killed Innocent Dolphins and Sea Turtles • Futurism

｢ According to activists in Tamaulipas, a Mexican state situated south of Starbase, SpaceX's newly-incorporated company town, the explosion — which was the fourth such Starship mishap this year — ended up killing multiple dolphins and sea turtles ｣

https://futurism.com/starship-debris-dolphins-turtles

#spacex #musk #wildlife