FAA Greenlights New SpaceX Starship Trajectories Over U.S. Mainland

Agency’s analysis estimates that proposed trajectories could impact thousands of American flights per year.

Jack Daleo

Saturday, February 14, 2026 at 10:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

With FAA approval, SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket could fly over populated areas in Florida, California, Texas, and other U.S. states. [Credit: SpaceX]

Key Takeaways:

SpaceX is nearing FAA approval for expanded Starship launch trajectories over the U.S. mainland, including orbital flights and return-to-launch-site missions, after the FAA issued a "finding of no significant impact."
These new flight paths will create Aircraft Hazard Areas (AHAs), projected to impact thousands of commercial aircraft operations annually and necessitate international airspace coordination.
Aviation safety groups criticize the FAA's assessment as vague, warning of potential debris hazards and questioning the agency's ability to prioritize airspace safety amid rapid commercial space expansion.
The FAA is experiencing a surge in commercial spaceflight licenses, with SpaceX planning a significantly increased Starship launch cadence, leading to concerns about balancing industry growth with safety regulations.

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SpaceX this week moved one step closer to securing a launch license modification that would allow it to fly its gargantuan Starship rocket over portions of the mainland U.S., including Florida, Texas, and California.

The company will still need to obtain that modification from the FAA. But the regulator on Friday issued a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for SpaceX’s proposal to add new Starship launch trajectories to its Starbase pad in Texas.