FAA Faces Lawsuit Over Handling of SpaceX Starship Program

In the lawsuit, environmental groups accuse the FAA of making environmental concessions to SpaceX.

Jack Daleo

Monday, May 01, 2023 at 06:44 PM ET

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SpaceX’s Starship rocket stands ready for launch ahead of April’s test flight. [Credit: SpaceX]

Key Takeaways:

Following SpaceX's Starship test flight that severely damaged its launch pad and surrounding areas, five environmental groups have sued the FAA.
The lawsuit accuses the FAA of improperly bypassing a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in favor of a less rigorous assessment (PEA), allegedly influenced by SpaceX, leading to insufficient environmental protection measures.
If successful, the lawsuit could compel the FAA to conduct a comprehensive EIS, which would significantly delay future Starship launches, potentially for many months.

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Last month, SpaceX’s Starship rocket—the largest ever constructed—engulfed the company’s Boca Chica, Texas, launch pad in flames en route to its inaugural test flight. Now, the FAA, which signed off on the launch the weekend prior, is also under fire.

Figuratively, that is. On Monday, five environmental groups sued the FAA over its handling of the Starship launch, accusing the agency of making concessions to SpaceX that contributed to the test flight’s impact on surrounding areas.