You also have to consider how you get your rocket to the launchpad as well as the launchpad infrastructure (fueling, fire suppression, radar tracking, large areas, security, etc, etc, etc.)

Moving to another country is a non-starter for many payloads.

I suspect that whatever the taxes are they are far cheaper than creating a new launchpad in another state.

Your simplistic analysis is lacking.

That said, I am opposed to taxing the launches.

Now, I’m kind of hesitant to get on the bandwagon for private space travel and exploration. So far, the launches tend to end in disaster. I can’t imagine why anybody would want to invest in something like this.

Also, do you want to live near a private launch site? Not me.

So, if California wants to tax private space launches, I’m all for it. But only if they abolish the Gas Tax first.

We seem to have a lot of people moving to California from other states. I talk to the homeless folks who hang out near my building. They have moved to California. Apparently it a good place to be homeless–they get food stamp money on a state issued credit card, and the cops don’t hassle them if they are smoking pot.

If Dependency was classified as an industry, California would be #1in one industry.