Amazon goes for jugular in FCC spat with Elon Musk over SpaceX internet plans

[TruckElectric]

SpaceX head Elon Musk was blasted by Amazon, which accused Musk of ignoring a variety of government-imposed rules around SpaceX's plans to launch a satellite-based internet service.AFP via Getty Images

Amazon told U.S. regulators on Wednesday that Elon Musk does not believe government regulations apply to the billionaire who heads Tesla and SpaceX as the companies spar over rival satellite-based internet plans.

In a harshly worded filing with the Federal Communications Commission, Amazon accused Musk of ignoring a variety of government-imposed rules, including several Federal Aviation Administration requirements.

“Whether it is launching satellites with unlicensed antennas, launching rockets without approval, building an unapproved launch tower, or re-opening a factory in violation of a shelter-in-place order, the conduct of SpaceX and other Musk-led companies makes their view plain: rules are for other people, and those who insist upon or even simply request compliance are deserving of derision and ad hominem attacks,” Amazon wrote. “If the FCC regulated hypocrisy, SpaceX would be keeping the commission very busy.”

Both SpaceX and Tesla did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday. The FCC and FAA declined to comment.

Amazon’s Project Kuiper, a planned $10 billion network of over 3,000 satellites that will provide high-speed internet from space, faces stiff competition from SpaceX’s Starlink network.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Musk also are rivals in the private space launch business. Getty Images

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Musk are rivals in the private space launch business. Bezos’ Blue Origin has challenged the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s decision to award a $2.9 billion lunar lander contract to SpaceX.

Amazon on Aug. 25 asked the FCC to reject a proposed SpaceX revision to its satellite configuration plans, saying it was at odds with FCC rules and left “nearly every major detail unsettled.”

Last week, SpaceX accused Amazon in its own filing with the FCC of seeking to delay SpaceX’s plan, saying it was “only the latest in its continuing efforts to slow down competition.”

Amazon’s Project Kuiper faces stiff competition from SpaceX’s Starlink network, about which Elon Musk spoke at a June tech conference in Barcelona.Corbis via Getty Images


SpaceX added: “While SpaceX has proceeded to deploy more than 1,700 satellites, Amazon has yet to even attempt to address the radiofrequency interference and orbital debris issues that must be resolved before Amazon can deploy its constellation.”

SpaceX suggested Amazon “as it falls behind competitors … is more than willing to use regulatory and legal processes to create obstacles designed to delay those competitors from leaving Amazon even further behind.”

https://nypost.com/2021/09/08/amazo...at-with-elon-musk-over-spacex-internet-plans/

 

[CyberGus]

Bezos isn't wrong. Musk doesn't like being regulated (who does, really?) and pushes the limits at every turn.

However, the problem belongs to the regulators, not to Bezos. Amazon is starting to look like "Outer Space Karen" lol

 

[Diehard]

Starlink satellites might soon be involved in 90% of close encounters between two spacecraft in low Earth orbit:
https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-satellite-collision-alerts-on-the-rise

I can see, we finally send a bunch of self replicating robots to mars, they build a few big cities and then we are stuck on earth and can't get there because of all the space junk around earth.

 

[FutureBoy]

Bezos isn't wrong. Musk doesn't like being regulated (who does, really?) and pushes the limits at every turn.

However, the problem belongs to the regulators, not to Bezos. Amazon is starting to look like "Outer Space Karen" lol

Jeff Who? Has an alter-ego of Space Karen. Who would have known…

Interestingly that around here (Seattle area) Amazon does everything it can to skirt regulation. And one could argue that in the space arena, Jeff Who is trying to skirt regulations by changing contract rules with overwhelming lawyer attacks to get the negotiations to go in his favor.

 

[Ogre]

Article is remarkably one-sided.

Bezos isn't wrong. Musk doesn't like being regulated (who does, really?) and pushes the limits at every turn.

Musk isn't wrong either...

Bezos' empire is quite adept at litigating and lobbying their way into contracts and blocking competitors using the courtrooms. A point which this article talks around.

 

[Ogre]

Starlink satellites might soon be involved in 90% of close encounters between two spacecraft in low Earth orbit:

You just need to upgrade to Full Self Driving satellites (currently testing beta 10.1, should be released to a wider satellite community in "2 weeks")

 

[Diehard]

You just need to upgrade to Full Self Driving satellites (currently testing beta 10.1, should be released to a wider satellite community in "2 weeks")

I wish it was like that. I think of these satellites as bullets. Going to lower orbit is kinda like playing American Roulette. In Russian Roulette, you have only two bullets to worry about. In American Roulette, there will be 42,000. Good luck dodging that.

 

[Ogre]

I wish it was like that. I think of these satellites as bullets. Going to lower orbit is kinda like playing American Roulette. In Russian Roulette, you have only two bullets to worry about. In American Roulette, there will be 42,000. Good luck dodging that.

There is a lot of space up there for little satellites.





Get it... space




never mind.

 

[Frank W]

The term to describe Elon’s companies that comes up quite often is “disruptive technology“ and all I see coming from them is things that no one else has been able to accomplish.



Yes, I’m long TSLA.

 

[Ogre]

The term to describe Elon’s companies that comes up quite often is “disruptive technology“ and all I see coming from them is things that no one else has been able to accomplish.



Yes, I’m long TSLA.

Musk's inbox at the beginning of every project...

"That won't work"
"You can't make a profit doing that"
"You'll go broke"
"The big guys will just swoop in and take the profits when it's viable"

 

[Bill906]

In Russian Roulette, you have only two bullets to worry about.

Two bullets? I guess I’ve been playing it wrong this whole time.

 

[Diehard]

Two bullets? I guess I’ve been playing it wrong this whole time.

As long as you are playing. It is all about the spirit of the game. If you are playing by the rules, it is not Russian at all

 

[Ogre]

Two bullets? I guess I’ve been playing it wrong this whole time.

The game plays a little quicker if you use an automatic instead of a revolver too.

 

[MEDICALJMP]

Bezos isn't wrong. Musk doesn't like being regulated (who does, really?) and pushes the limits at every turn.

However, the problem belongs to the regulators, not to Bezos. Amazon is starting to look like "Outer Space Karen" lol

“STARTING”?!

Karen Bezos, I mean JEFF who?, is looking pretty sad and pathetic now. Do something productive with your own company and stop your loser actions.

 

[Quicksilver]

Jeff's new full time job is suing Tesla and being a thorn in Elon's side.