Elon Musk Frustrated With 'Broken' Regulations After SpaceX Launch is Interrupted

SpaceX's 20th mission will be delayed by at least a day.

By Euni Han

PATRICK T. FALLON | Getty Images

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

With just seconds left until takeoff on Tuesday, SpaceX's launch was halted after an aircraft flew into launch range, according to CNBC.

Founder Elon Musk voiced his frustrations on Twitter about the rules around rocket launching.

"An aircraft entered the "keep out zone', which is unreasonably gigantic. There is simply no way that humanity can become a spacefaring civilization without major regulatory reform. The current regulatory system is broken."

Musk has been a vocal critic of launch regulations this year as SpaceX has been launching Falcon 9 rockets at an average rate of every nine days. The company has also flown several tests of its Starship prototype rockets. When one was delayed in January, Musk took to blasting the FAA.

"Unlike its aircraft division, which is fine, the FAA space division has a fundamentally broken regulatory structure," he said. "Their rules are meant for a handful of expendable launches per year from a few government facilities. Under those rules, humanity will never get to Mars."

Meanwhile SpaceX ignored warnings from the FAA about launching a test flight for Starship prototype SN8 in December. But since then, the FAA has defended the company in front of Congress, saying SpaceX "modified their procedures effectively." The FAA also says it's also working on streamlining launch regulations and rules.

Despite recent tweets, Musk has said he agrees with regulators "99.9% of the time."

On the "rare occasions" he doesn't, the billionaire entrepreneur says it's usually "due to new technologies that past regulations didn't anticipate."

Related Topics

Editor's Pick

Everyone Wants to Get Close to Their Favorite Artist. Here's the Technology Making It a Reality — But Better.
The Highest-Paid, Highest-Profile People in Every Field Know This Communication Strategy
After Early Rejection From Publishers, This Author Self-Published Her Book and Sold More Than 500,000 Copies. Here's How She Did It.
Having Trouble Speaking Up in Meetings? Try This Strategy.
He Names Brands for Amazon, Meta and Forever 21, and Says This Is the Big Blank Space in the Naming Game
Business News

These Are the Most and Least Affordable Places to Retire in The U.S.

The Northeast and West Coast are the least affordable, while areas in the Mountain State region tend to be ideal for retirees on a budget.

Business News

I Live on a Cruise Ship for Half of the Year. Look Inside My 336-Square-Foot Cabin with Wraparound Balcony.

I live on a cruise ship with my husband, who works on it, for six months out of the year. Life at "home" can be tight. Here's what it's really like living on a cruise ship.

Business News

'I Don't Feel Like It's Unreasonable': A-List Actor Refused Service At Hotspot For Not Following Dress Code

Academy Award-winning actor Russell Crowe had quite the afternoon after trying to stop at a Japanese steakhouse in Melbourne, Australia following a game of tennis.

Business News

The 'Airbnbust' Proves the Wild West Days of Online Vacation Rentals Are Over

Airbnb recently reported that 2022 was its first profitable year ever. But the deluge of new listings foreshadowed an inevitable correction.

Business Solutions

Master Coding for Less Than $2 a Course with This Jam-Packed Bundle

Make coding understandable with this beginner-friendly coding bundle, now just $19.99.

Business Ideas

55 Small Business Ideas To Start Right Now

To start one of these home-based businesses, you don't need a lot of funding -- just energy, passion and the drive to succeed.