CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — SpaceX passed another milestone in its effort to bring its Super Heavy Starship rocket to the Space Coast.
What You Need To Know
- The report recommended that SpaceX could pursue up to 44 launches per year from Kennedy Space Center
- This also includes 88 landings, 44 for Starship and 44 for the Super Heavy rocket booster
- Super Heavy is the rocket booster part of the vehicle; the spacecraft is called Starship
On Friday, the FAA released a 444-page “Record of Decision” on a final environmental impact statement.
The report recommended that SpaceX could pursue up to 44 launches per year from Kennedy Space Center. This also includes 88 landings, 44 for Starship and 44 for the Super Heavy rocket booster.
The agency previously released an environmental impact statement to allow up to 76 launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
SpaceX would still need to complete mitigation work and get approval for a launch license from the FAA before those launches could begin.
Some residents have voiced concerns about beach access or noise related to the launches.
The agency acknowledged impacts on commercial flights, in particular, international flights, due to the need for ground stops and re-routing.
The FAA also considered that launches could cost the National Parks Service revenue due to required closures of parts of the Canaveral National Seashore.
And that sonic booms could expose some Brevard County residents to noise during late-night operations, but still stuck with the recommendations to approve.
Spectrum News Staff
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