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FAA Seeks Public Comment on SpaceX Plan to Ramp Up Starship Launches

SpaceX aims to increase the number of authorized Starship launches at its Starbase launch pad in Texas from five to 25 per year.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, November 21, 2024 at 04:01 PM ET

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Edited By: tccjeremy

SpaceX’s gargantuan Starship rocket and Super Heavy booster stand nearly 400 feet tall when stacked. [Courtesy: SpaceX]

Key Takeaways:

SpaceX is seeking FAA approval to significantly increase Starship launches from its Starbase facility in Texas, proposing up to 25 annual launches and 25 landings for Starship and Super Heavy.
This substantial increase in launch cadence is critical for SpaceX to rapidly test, develop, and demonstrate Starship's full reusability and capabilities, particularly for future missions like NASA's Artemis III lunar landing.
The FAA has issued a revised draft environmental assessment for SpaceX's proposal, initiating a public comment period before making a decision on modifying the company's current five-launch annual license.

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SpaceX is coordinating with the FAA to launch Starship—the largest and most powerful rocket ever flown—as many as 25 times per year after completing only a handful of test flights in 2024.

The aviation regulator on Wednesday issued a revised draft environmental assessment (EA) for SpaceX’s proposal to exponentially increase the number of Starship launches at its Starbase launch pad in Texas. The company’s current license permits five annual launches of Starship and the Super Heavy booster, 10 Starship landings, and five Super Heavy landings.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.