SpaceX has received approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to increase the launch rate of its Starship rocket to up to 25 launches a year from its Starbase facility in South Texas. On May 6, the FAA published a final environmental assessment that found that the expansion of Starship operations would not have a significant environmental impact on the area. The landings are approved for an equal number for each stage — the Super Heavy and upper-stage Starship vehicle — at the same facility, representative of a significant advancement in SpaceX’s ultimate goals for rapid rocket reusability and deep space travel.
FAA Clears Path for SpaceX to Scale Up Starship Launches Without Further Environmental Review
As per the FAA’s 53-page document titled Mitigated Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision, the proposed expansion meets the environmental compliance standards set under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The agency determined that a full environmental impact statement was unnecessary, confirming previous assessments outlined in a draft released last November. SpaceX’s operator licence has now been officially modified to support the ramped-up cadence of launches and landings without requiring further environmental review.
SpaceX has reached a regulatory milestone as it continues to test and refine its Starship system, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built. The vehicle is designed for rapid reusability and long-term missions to the Moon and Mars. In terms of sustainability and long-term estimation, Elon Musk’s time-and-frequency focus is a game changer for space travel.
Starship, a Super Heavy booster, will have two flights in 2025, one in January and one in March. Despite the mishaps, the upper-stage ship has returned to the tower, raining debris on the Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas. The ninth planned flight, under construction now, has fully tested its engines.
The FAA’s decision clears the way for SpaceX to continue to scale operations at Starbase, as one major regulatory obstacle has been removed. By observers’ estimates, expect to see an even more aggressive flight cadence from SpaceX, which will be testing for Mars systems and working toward less encumbered regulatory paths.
