Elon Musk reveals SpaceX conducts seal experiments to study rocket launch impacts

Elon Musk revealed that SpaceX was required by the US government to conduct experiments on seals to study the effects of rocket sonic booms on their reproduction. This involved capturing seals and playing sonic boom sounds to them. Musk stated that the Fish and Wildlife Service mandated the experiments, which were conducted twice. He noted that the seal population has increased despite the number of rocket launches from Vandenberg, California. These comments follow Musk's previous discussions about regulatory challenges faced by SpaceX. He highlighted that obtaining launch licenses from the Federal Aviation Administration is currently a major hurdle for the company.