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Iirc Elon mentioned something about SpaceX being legally restricted from operating outside the US. Obviously there are national security implications, given how
by trompetenaccoun 3y ago
Iirc Elon mentioned something about SpaceX being legally restricted from operating outside the US. Obviously there are national security implications, given how they're working on the most powerful rockets on the planet. My guess is it would unlikely be approved. Most of all they probably want the scientists and engineers in their own jurisdiction.
- bryanlarsen 3y agoThere is precedent. Rocket Lab is technically an American company yet launches out of New Zealand. If SpaceX was selling a rocket to the EU or letting the Europeans operate the rocket a license might be difficult. But if it was only SpaceX personnel who had access to the rocket? I imagine a license would be likely. Not guaranteed, but likely.
- photonbeam 3y agoA treaty was written specifically for the rocket labs situation, and only because they were a NZ company first who were moving HQ to the US
- bryanlarsen 3y agoYes. That precedent makes it more likely that SpaceX would receive similar disposition, IMO. RocketLab had a better reason for needing the disposition, but now that the precedent exists it opens the door to others.
- wkat4242 3y agoBut Rocket Lab don't do any military launches right? I think this is why SpaceX requires all employees to be Americans also.
- bryanlarsen 3y agoRocketLab has launched US military payloads from New Zealand, but those were "R&D" payloads. They've since built a launch facility at Wallops, Virginia to be eligible for more classified military contracts.
- thinkcontext 3y agoPresumably SpaceX would continue to launch national security payloads from US soil. And of course advanced US government payloads have launched from French Guyana, ie James Webb.
- wkat4242 3y agoBut that's NASA, their stuff is not classified at all.
- wasdfff 3y agoI wonder why puerto rico is a nonstarter