Boosting up schedule

SpaceX proposes increase in reusable spaceship launches

SpaceX proposed an increase in launches and landings for the Starship/Super Heavy launch operations on the Boca Chica site in November 2024 to improve mission capability and cost effectiveness for a second time.

Starship is a reusable transportation system created to carry supplies and crew to the Earth’s orbit, moon and other planets, according to SpaceX.com.

The proposal, known as Draft Tiered Environmental Assessment, would allow SpaceX to launch Starship/Super Heavy up to 25 times and land 50 times annually.

Originally, the proposal was made in July 2024, however due to “new information regarding compliance of the proposed action with the Clean Water Act” the proposal and public meetings were rescheduled, according to the rescheduled Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) public meeting.

During a Jan. 7 public meeting, the FAA played a recorded presentation giving the background of the Starship/Super Heavy vehicle, the potential impacts of the project and the review process and the schedule.

The FAA is evaluating SpaceX to determine whether the proposal has any potential environmental impacts.

“SpaceX must obtain a new license or modification of their current licenses from the FAA to launch and land the Starship and Super Heavy vehicles and to use their associated launch systems more frequently than originally analyzed in the 2022 Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment,” said in the recorded presentation.

Jennifer Piggot, public speaker and contractor for FAA, said the FAA would also take a look at the public’s comments to assist in creating and adjusting the Final Environmental Assessment.

“This meeting is intended to provide opportunities for members of the public to be involved in this process and submit comments,” Piggot said.

The meeting included an open house for the public to be able to talk with FAA contractors and SpaceX staff to answer questions and clarify information.

UTRGV biology lecturer Viviana Trevino said launching the vehicle cadence to 25 times a year can be far too dangerous and risky.

“We shouldn’t be launching these rockets without having a complete environmental assessment,” Trevino said.

She said the meeting did not completely clarify enough information to make an “informed decision” and failed in communicating with the public.

“I found it absurd that an open forum did not allow for people to speak,” Trevino said. “I find it absurd that we had a presentation being done over a speaker, rather than having people actually come here and present to us and explain the situation and explain how these assessments are done.”

Stephen Murphy, charter boat business owner, said the SpaceX launches and the company  itself helps to rapidly improve business.

“Myself personally, I love them,” Murphy said. “I think it’s great and wonderful and we needed stuff like that down here instead of always being in Florida [and] East Texas.” 

He said the meeting was helpful and informational for the public to understand the breakdown of the project and hopes for SpaceX to continue to give information on the rockets and its launches, especially to businesses around the area.

“I wish [SpaceX] would reach out to the business owners, the groups and have one day where they … could explain to our captains what’s going on, too, [so] our captains could have 100% correct information on [what] we’re relaying to the hundreds and thousands of people that we have on our boats.”Murphy said.

The public comment period will be available until Friday and once finished, the FAA will incorporate the comments into the Final EA. 

Once completed the FAA will sign and date the finalized document.

For more information on SpaceX’s proposal visit the Federal Aviation Administration website.