STARBASE, Texas – Federal aviation officials are beginning an environmental review of a SpaceX proposal that could substantially increase the number of Starship launches and landings at the Boca Chica launch site in Cameron County.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the proposal would be reviewed in two phases. The first would include up to 100 launches and 200 landings annually. A second phase would include up to 456 launches and 912 landings a year. The landing figures include both Starship and its Super Heavy booster.
The launch increase has not been approved. The FAA said its planned programmatic environmental impact statement will evaluate the proposal and provide opportunities for the public to identify issues and potential impacts for consideration.
The agency has scheduled two in-person sessions on Nov. 17 at Texas Southmost College’s Jacob Brown Auditorium in Brownsville and two on Nov. 19 at the Port Isabel Event & Cultural Center. A virtual meeting is scheduled for Nov. 18; registration is required for the online session.
Public comments on the scope of the review are due Nov. 30. The FAA project page provides meeting times, access information and instructions for submitting comments through the federal rulemaking docket or by mail.
For residents and businesses near the launch site, the process is an opportunity to raise questions about proposed operations and the environmental and community effects the agency should study. SpaceX would still need the applicable federal authorization to conduct the operations.
Source: Federal Aviation Administration
