Environmental Review Reveals New SpaceX Starship-Super Heavy Plans
The FAA intends to look at the potential environmental impacts of issuing a commercial launch Vehicle Operator License to SpaceX for the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle at Launch Complex 39A.
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SpaceX must obtain a vehicle operator license from FAA for Starship-Super Heavy launch and landing operations.
The vehicle is currently under development in Boca Chica, Texas. SpaceX plans to launch missions from Florida’s Space Coast.
An earlier environmental assessment for future Super Heavy operations at LC-39 A was completed in 2019, with a finding of “no significant impact.” But, plans have evolved.
According to a notice filed on Friday, SpaceX proposes additional launch infrastructure, stormwater or deluge ponds, and the launch of an advanced design of the Starship and Super Heavy vehicle with up to 44 launches per year.
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The FAA will hold two in-person scoping meetings and one virtual public scoping meeting next month, to allow the public to receive information about the proposed action.
They’ll be similar to meetings held earlier this year about potential SpaceX Starship operations at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at Space Launch Complex 37.
The IN-PERSON meetings will be held on June 12, 2024, and June 13, 2024.
The June 12, 2024, meetings will be held from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. (Eastern) at the Radisson Cape Canaveral, 8701 Astronaut Blvd, Cape Canaveral, Florida 32920.
The June 13, 2024, meeting will be held from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. (Eastern) at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Space Commerce Way, Merritt Island, Florida 32953.
All meetings will consist of an open house information-station format wherein the FAA will provide information describing the purpose of the scoping meetings, project schedule, opportunities for public involvement, Proposed Action and alternatives summary, and environmental resource area summary. Fact sheets will be made available containing similar information. At any time during the meetings, the public will have the opportunity to provide verbal comments to a court reporter or written comments via a written comment form at one of several commenting stations. English-Spanish translation services will be provided at the in-person meetings.
The Virtual meeting will be held on June 17, 2024; 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. (Eastern); the URL and call-in number for the meeting will be provided in advance on the FAA’s SpaceX Starship-SuperHeavy at Kennedy Space Center’s project webpage.
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