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The Federal Aviation Administration has announced completion of the Final Tiered Environmental Assessment (EA) of SpaceX’s proposal to dramatically increase the number of rocket launches and landings per year from Starbase at Boca Chica Beach, with the FAA issuing a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).
The Final EA was conducted by SpaceX and overseen by the FAA.
“After reviewing and analyzing this Final Tiered EA, including all available data and information on existing conditions and potential impacts, the FAA has determined that modifying SpaceX’s vehicle operator license supporting the increased launch and landing cadence of the Starship/Super Heavy launch vehicle would not significantly impact the quality of the human environment within the meaning of (National Environmental Policy Act),” according to an agency executive summary.
A more comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement is therefore not required, according to the FAA. In issuing its FONSI and Record of Decision, the agency said the determination is in keeping with applicable environmental laws and FAA regulations.
In making its determination, the FAA endorsed the Final EA proposal that FAA act to modify SpaceX’s existing vehicle operator license to allow the company to boost its Starship/Super Heavy launch cadence at Boca Chica’s vertical launch area (VLA) by up to 25 launches per year, and landings up to 50 per year — 25 each of Starship and the Super Heavy booster — and to allow “vehicle and operational upgrades.”
Up to three of the total 25 launches would take place during nighttime hours, while landings at Boca Chica would be conducted only during daytime hours, FAA said.
“Daytime landings of either vehicle may also take place offshore as well,” according to the agency. “Up to three landings of Starship and three landings of Super Heavy may occur at night, only offshore. SpaceX would also conduct up to 90 seconds of licensed daytime Starship static fire (engine) tests and 70 seconds of licensed daytime Super Heavy static fire tests a year. The federal action also includes the FAA’s issuance of temporary airspace closures.”
SpaceX may also land Starship and Super Heavy on floating platforms at sea, or in the sea, the FAA said. The company had made multiple controlled landings of Starship in the Indian Ocean, though its last two attempts, on Jan. 16 and March 6, ended with Starships exploding over the Caribbean minutes after launch.
Aside from two successful landings at the launch pad, SpaceX has been landing its Super Heavy boosters in the Gulf of Mexico.
Water landings would be hard-impact at terminal velocity with explosion and breakup at the surface; soft landings in which the vehicle tips over and sinks after landing (or tips over, explodes and then sinks); or in-flight breakup during reentry with debris falling into the ocean, according to the FAA.
“Of the above scenarios, SpaceX anticipates no more than 20 explosive events at the surface of the water … for each vehicle for the life of the program,” the agency said. “These three scenarios would only occur within the first five years of the program.”
SpaceX may also use waterborne drone ships for landing, according to the FAA, which said the “federal action also includes the FAA’s issuance of temporary airspace closures.”
The FAA said the National Marine Fisheries Service concurred with the agency’s determination that the proposed action (authorizing more launches/landings) is not likely to adversely affect most Endangered Species Act-list species and critical habitat under NMFS jurisdiction.
“The only species that the FAA and NMFS agreed would likely face adverse effects from the Proposed Action would be sea turtles in the event of a shear horizontal explosion,” FAA said.
The South Texas Environmental Justice Network immediately condemned the FAA’s announcement, blasting it as an “unjust decision” and vowing that Rio Grande Valley residents “would continue mobilizing to protect access to Boca Chica Beach by urging Texas House Representatives to vote against House Bill 4660/Senate Bill 2188 and House Bill 4661.”
SB 2188/HB 4660 would give the newly minted municipality of Starbase, rather than Cameron County, authorization to close the beach and S.H. 4 near SpaceX on weekdays, from 8 a.m. Monday until Friday noon. The county would retain control over closures during the weekend. HB 4661, meanwhile, would impose criminal penalties for accessing the beach during closures.
“For years, Brownsville and Laguna Madre residents have decried the last eight Starship/SuperHeavy rocket launches for causing seismic activity that shook their homes, the destruction of more than 60 acres of wildlife habitat and the loss of public access to Boca Chica Beach,” STEJN said, noting a number of lawsuits have been filed to protect public access, and against the FAA for allowing SpaceX to continue launching.
Bekah Hinojosa of STEJN accused the FAA of failing to conduct a thorough environmental review of what she characterized as “the ongoing destruction to our land and beach that these rocket launches have already caused.”
“The last eight Starship/SuperHeavy rockets launched caused homes over 20 miles away to shake, led to illegal dumping on our beach and burned down wildlife habitat,” Hinojosa said. “Lawmakers must demand that the FAA restart this review of SpaceX’s permit process for the sake of our community and the (Caribbean) island communities littered with flammable rocket debris.”