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SpaceX: Arrest warrant for YouTuber who broke into launch site in Texas

25 points by Paul_S 5y ago

chuckSu 5y ago
I don’t really feel any sympathy for him. Sometimes doing dumb shit has consequences.
londons_explore 5y ago
SpaceX have to walk a fine line here... They have a massive fan base which is fairly important to the success of the company (if the fan base turns against them, they will probably lose public funding and regulatory support). Yet a small proportion of the fan base is a little too enthusiastic. If they prosecute these people too aggressively it might not look good from a PR perspective.
- cookingmyserver 5y ago
  I don't think much of the Starship fanbase is watching 'Loco Vlogs'. As much as you can characterize an internet fanbase (very difficult to do) I don't believe the fanbase will ever get mad for SpaceX or the authorities going after trespassers. Trespassers cause delays and present a risk to the program we all want to see succeed. SpaceX has been very cooperative with the fanbase, allowing photographers and different outlets to come onto the property and setup cameras for streaming. I can see the fanbase getting upset if they change something with that, but I just don't see them getting upset over a trespasser being punished.
  - londons_explore 5y ago
    Sure, but there are other cases the line is more blurred. For example when high res telephoto lenses catch an employee scratching their ass, and then someone writes a blog post about it... That kind of thing can't be good for employee morale, but prosecuting it would probably be seen as overstepping the line.
kerng 5y ago
Yeah, seems like all the correct things are happening. 1. Person did something stupid and knows it 2. SpaceX has to take action, because its dangerous and boundaries have to be upheld 3. Police is doing their job Most curious about the outcome/penalty though, since intent matters - like the trespasser wasn't trying to steal stuff (besides cool pics) as far as it looks like. So wouldnt be surprised if SpaceX drops the charges after the initial scare.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- nexuist 5y ago
  The problem is that SpaceX has stakeholders involved in national security, so they have to be hard on rule-breakers as a matter of principle. Sure, this guy meant no harm, but if it becomes clear that any random idiot can jump a fence and get close to ITAR-regulated equipment, what's stopping a spy from pretending to be another clueless vlogger and siphoning classified photos/information? Although I do agree that in this case the YouTuber shouldn't go to prison or anything harsh like that, but they should use this incident as a teaching moment to warn the next trespasser that they won't be as friendly.
  - mlindner 5y ago
    The effect of ITAR is always overrated here. It's not some secret clearance. It just says that if you're not a US citizen or a "US person" you can't be involved with it. There's no security clearance required from the US government. So this guy who is likely a US citizen can look at it without issue. The issues are the trespassing on an active construction site among other issues.
BJBBB 5y ago
"“Yes it was wrong, yes it was illegal. But in my eyes, in that time of moment, I didn’t really think about that...What went through my mind was, ‘Okay, I’m never gonna get this opportunity again.’ So I went for it. And, well, this happened,” People, please note that this is criminal trespass. While it is a non-violent crime, it can still screw your future. We have about 2 acres of greenhouses surrounded by a 8ft fence that is marked with private property/no trespassing signs. The same kid kept breaking into the greenhouses, and other than making my dogs go bonkers, the kid caused no harm. But as my lawyer demanded that a police report be filed, and because we have several cameras in and around the green houses, the kid was an easy bust and prosecution. And he saw no crime with satisfying his curiosity about our greenhouses until it came time for his scholarship and job applications. The boy is royally screwed.
- avmich 5y ago
  > until it came time for his scholarship and job applications. The boy is royally screwed. So he can't become a better person (no scholarships) and can't bring benefits to the society (job applications)? I agree that he's wrong, but why to choose such a way of punishing?
- corin_ 5y ago
  Your lawyer may have recommended it but it seems to me that you could have chosen not to mess up that kid's life. Ah well, at least your dogs are happier!
- danw1979 5y ago
  You're not coming across as the aggrieved party here. Kid, curiosity, no harm, etc. Would a ride home in a police car have done the trick maybe ? It sounds like you're abdicating responsibility for your decision to the lawyer. You must realise your lawyer can't represent you on a legal matter without your consent ?
  - tibu 5y ago
    No harm that time. But if it does not gets noticed what happens next time? He takes his friends? Or gets into another properly where he gets hurt? THe more disturbing is that such a matter can cost your school and scholarship. That's not the lawyers or the posters fault.
mensetmanusman 5y ago
This could have been deadly, no use ignoring it until someone gets killed.

25 points by Paul_S 5y ago

I don’t really feel any sympathy for him. Sometimes doing dumb shit has consequences.

SpaceX have to walk a fine line here... They have a massive fan base which is fairly important to the success of the company (if the fan base turns against them, they will probably lose public funding and regulatory support). Yet a small proportion of the fan base is a little too enthusiastic. If they prosecute these people too aggressively it might not look good from a PR perspective.

cookingmyserver 5y ago
I don't think much of the Starship fanbase is watching 'Loco Vlogs'. As much as you can characterize an internet fanbase (very difficult to do) I don't believe the fanbase will ever get mad for SpaceX or the authorities going after trespassers. Trespassers cause delays and present a risk to the program we all want to see succeed. SpaceX has been very cooperative with the fanbase, allowing photographers and different outlets to come onto the property and setup cameras for streaming. I can see the fanbase getting upset if they change something with that, but I just don't see them getting upset over a trespasser being punished.
- londons_explore 5y ago
  Sure, but there are other cases the line is more blurred. For example when high res telephoto lenses catch an employee scratching their ass, and then someone writes a blog post about it... That kind of thing can't be good for employee morale, but prosecuting it would probably be seen as overstepping the line.

kerng 5y ago

Yeah, seems like all the correct things are happening. 1. Person did something stupid and knows it 2. SpaceX has to take action, because its dangerous and boundaries have to be upheld 3. Police is doing their job Most curious about the outcome/penalty though, since intent matters - like the trespasser wasn't trying to steal stuff (besides cool pics) as far as it looks like. So wouldnt be surprised if SpaceX drops the charges after the initial scare.

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
nexuist 5y ago
The problem is that SpaceX has stakeholders involved in national security, so they have to be hard on rule-breakers as a matter of principle. Sure, this guy meant no harm, but if it becomes clear that any random idiot can jump a fence and get close to ITAR-regulated equipment, what's stopping a spy from pretending to be another clueless vlogger and siphoning classified photos/information? Although I do agree that in this case the YouTuber shouldn't go to prison or anything harsh like that, but they should use this incident as a teaching moment to warn the next trespasser that they won't be as friendly.
- mlindner 5y ago
  The effect of ITAR is always overrated here. It's not some secret clearance. It just says that if you're not a US citizen or a "US person" you can't be involved with it. There's no security clearance required from the US government. So this guy who is likely a US citizen can look at it without issue. The issues are the trespassing on an active construction site among other issues.

BJBBB 5y ago

"“Yes it was wrong, yes it was illegal. But in my eyes, in that time of moment, I didn’t really think about that...What went through my mind was, ‘Okay, I’m never gonna get this opportunity again.’ So I went for it. And, well, this happened,” People, please note that this is criminal trespass. While it is a non-violent crime, it can still screw your future. We have about 2 acres of greenhouses surrounded by a 8ft fence that is marked with private property/no trespassing signs. The same kid kept breaking into the greenhouses, and other than making my dogs go bonkers, the kid caused no harm. But as my lawyer demanded that a police report be filed, and because we have several cameras in and around the green houses, the kid was an easy bust and prosecution. And he saw no crime with satisfying his curiosity about our greenhouses until it came time for his scholarship and job applications. The boy is royally screwed.

avmich 5y ago
> until it came time for his scholarship and job applications. The boy is royally screwed. So he can't become a better person (no scholarships) and can't bring benefits to the society (job applications)? I agree that he's wrong, but why to choose such a way of punishing?
corin_ 5y ago
Your lawyer may have recommended it but it seems to me that you could have chosen not to mess up that kid's life. Ah well, at least your dogs are happier!
danw1979 5y ago
You're not coming across as the aggrieved party here. Kid, curiosity, no harm, etc. Would a ride home in a police car have done the trick maybe ? It sounds like you're abdicating responsibility for your decision to the lawyer. You must realise your lawyer can't represent you on a legal matter without your consent ?
- tibu 5y ago
  No harm that time. But if it does not gets noticed what happens next time? He takes his friends? Or gets into another properly where he gets hurt? THe more disturbing is that such a matter can cost your school and scholarship. That's not the lawyers or the posters fault.

mensetmanusman 5y ago

This could have been deadly, no use ignoring it until someone gets killed.