SPACECOM: FOIA Document Release on Crew-2 Conjunction Incident
The Black Vault obtained declassified documents via FOIA regarding the 2021 Crew-2 false alarm incident. The release revealed communication failures and heavy redactions by Space Command officials.
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Background
On May 10, 2024, The Black Vault published documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request from U.S. Space Command regarding the April 2021 Crew-2 conjunction incident. The release included internal emails and operational reports between NASA, the U.S. Space Force, and SpaceX personnel. These materials detailed the scramble to understand the potential hazard and subsequent investigation findings.
The documents revealed significant communication breakdowns during the incident, including incomplete briefings to crew members and confusion between tracking analysts. Heavy redactions throughout the files were justified by Rear Admiral William P. Pennington under exemptions (b)(4) and (b)(5), protecting trade secrets and deliberative processes. The extent of withheld information has sparked debate regarding transparency in space safety incidents.
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