Could the shutdown impact rocket launch cadence?

CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — It’s known that the federal government shutdown is impacting commercial flights, but as it drags on, some are asking how staffing shortages will affect other ways of flying?

Experts say the high cadence of rocket launches could be disrupted if the government isn’t able to approve launches due to staffing shortages.

This potential setback comes as the Space Coast is on the cusp of a record number of launches in a year.

There were 93 last year — the Space Coast is at 92 right now. 

But each launch requires an FAA approved license, and those could be delayed if the government shutdown means there’s no one around to sign off on them.

“There just won’t be personnel at the FAA to be able to grant new licenses and evaluation of any types of new launch applications,” said Don Platt, director of the Spaceport Education Center at Florida Tech. “So even groups like SpaceX may start to be affected by this.” 

That could include test launches in Texas for Starship — which is expected to start launching from the Space Coast in the near future.

The tests are much different than proven Falcon 9 launches.

“Their test launches and doing unusual and different things,” Platt said. “There’s a good possibility we could see delays because of the shutdown.”

He said a commercial space company trying to make a profit with launches might not be prioritized for approval.

Starlink missions could be impacted if the Federal Communications Commission isn’t able to approve the broadband internet satellite launches.

And it’s not just launches, but booster landings are part of the licensing process for the trajectory as they come back to Earth.