Project Updates

Proposed Action

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as the lead Federal agency is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of issuing a new of modifying an existing commercial launch vehicle operator license to SpaceX for the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle at Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida. SpaceX proposes to construct launch, landing, and other associated infrastructure at and in proximity to LC-39A. The proposal also includes Starship-Super Heavy launches at LC-39A; recoverable Super Heavy booster and Starship landings at LC-39A or on a droneship; and expendable Super Heavy booster and Starship landings in the ocean.  

SpaceX must obtain a new or modification of an existing vehicle operator license from the FAA for Starship-Super Heavy launch and landing operations. Issuance or modification of a vehicle operator license and approving airspace closures is considered a major Federal action under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In consideration of SpaceX’s revised proposal, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and FAA have determined that an EIS is the appropriate level of NEPA analysis to address the adjusted scope of Starship-Super Heavy at LC-39A. SpaceX has prepared the EIS under the supervision of the FAA which is serving as the lead agency at NASA’s request. While the 2019 Environmental Assessment (EA) prepared by NASA provides an analytical baseline, the environmental impacts of these proposed changes to Starship-Super Heavy LC-39A development and operations will be specifically analyzed in this EIS. 

The EIS considers the potential environmental impacts of the Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative. The successful completion of the environmental review process does not guarantee that the FAA would issue a new or modification of an existing vehicle operator license. The project must also meet all FAA safety, risk, and indemnification requirements for the appropriate license.

Draft EIS

The FAA is releasing the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for SpaceX’s proposed licensing and operation of the Starship Super-Heavy vehicle at Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) (Draft EIS). The National Aeronautics and Aerospace Administration (NASA), the Department of the Air Force (DAF), the United Stated Coast Guard (USCG), the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the National Park Service (NPS) are cooperating agencies. 

The Executive Summary of the Draft EIS is available below:

• Executive Summary

The Draft EIS and appendices are available below:

• Draft Environmental Impact Statement
   
• Volume II – Appendix A – Public and Agency Involvement
   
• Volume II – Appendix B.1 – Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation (US Fish and Wildlife Service) Part 1
• Volume II – Appendix B.1 – Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation (US Fish and Wildlife Service) Part 2
• Volume II – Appendix B.1 – Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation (US Fish and Wildlife Service) Part 3
• Volume II – Appendix B.2 – Essential Fish Habitat Assessment (National Marine Fisheries Service)
• Volume II – Appendix B.3 – National Historic Preservation Act Consultation Part 1
• Volume II – Appendix B.3 – National Historic Preservation Act Consultation Part 2
• Volume II – Appendix B.3 – National Historic Preservation Act Consultation Part 3
• Volume II – Appendix B.3 – National Historic Preservation Act Consultation Part 4
• Volume II – Appendix B.3 – National Historic Preservation Act Consultation Part 5
• Volume II – Appendix B.4 – Department of Transportation Act Section 4(f) Consultation
• Volume II – Appendix B.5 – Coastal Consistency Determination
• Volume II – Appendix B.6 – Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation (National Marine Fisheries Service) Part 1
• Volume II – Appendix B.6 – Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation (National Marine Fisheries Service) Part 2
• Volume II – Appendix B.6 – Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation (National Marine Fisheries Service) Part 3
• Volume II – Appendix B.6 – Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation (National Marine Fisheries Service) Part 4
• Volume II – Appendix B.7 – Marine Mammal Protection Act Incidental Harassment Authorization Application SpaceX Starship-Super Heavy Launch and Reentry
   
• Volume II – Appendix C.1 – Noise Report Part 1
• Volume II – Appendix C.1 – Noise Report Part 2
• Volume II – Appendix C.1 – Noise Report Part 3
• Volume II – Appendix C.1 – Noise Report Part 4
• Volume II – Appendix C.2 – Air Quality Part 1
• Volume II – Appendix C.2 – Air Quality Part 2
• Volume II – Appendix C.3 – Biological Resources Supplemental Information
   
• Volume II – Appendix D – Applicable Regulations by Resource Area

The Draft EIS analyzes:

• Up to 44 Starship-Super Heavy launches per year
• Up to 44 Super Heavy landings per year, to include landings at LC-39A, landing on a droneship in the Atlantic Ocean, or expending in the Atlantic Ocean
• Up to 44 Starship landings per year, to include landings at LC-39A, landing on a droneship in the Atlantic Ocean, or soft-water or hard-water landing with expending or recovery in the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, or Indian Ocean
• Construction of launch, landing, and other associated infrastructure at and in proximity to LC-39A.

Providing Public Comments

The FAA invites interested parties to submit comments on the Draft EIS. Public comments can be submitted electronically to www.regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2024-1395; by postal mail to Ms. Eva Long, FAA Environmental Protection Specialist, c/o Leidos, 2877 Guardian Lane, Virginia Beach, VA 23452; or delivered in written or verbal form during a public meeting. The public comment period for the Draft EIS will close on September 22, 2025.

Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask the FAA in your comment to withhold from public review your personal identifying information, the FAA cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. All comments received during the comment period will be given equal weight and be taken into consideration in the preparation of the Final EIS. 

The FAA will hold public meetings on the Draft EIS on: 

• Tuesday, August 26, 2025; two meetings: 1:00 PM–3:00 PM & 6:00 PM–8:00 PM ET at the Astronauts Memorial Foundation, Center for Space Education, Conference Center, State Road 405, Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899
   
• Thursday, August 28, 2025; two meetings: 1:00 PM–3:00 PM & 6:00 PM–8:00 PM ET at the Radisson Conference Center, Grande Caribbean, 8701 Astronaut Boulevard, Cape Canaveral, FL 32920
   
• Virtually on Wednesday, September 3, 2025; 6:00 PM–8:00 PM ET
  Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2aotlSQERXCHC5yJjOvm5A 
  Dial-in phone number: 888-788-0099 (Toll Free)
  Webinar ID: 892 9206 9685
  Passcode: 095859 

The back-up virtual public meeting date is September 4th, 2025. Should the September 3rd meeting be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, the virtual public meeting will be rescheduled and occur on September 4th from 6:00 PM-8:00 PM ET.

During the in-person meetings, the FAA will provide a pre-recorded presentation during the first half hour of the public meetings. The meetings will then transition to an open-house information-station format where the FAA and contractors will provide information describing the project. At any time during the open house portion of the meeting, members of the public will have the opportunity to provide up to a three-minute verbal comment to a court reporter who will transcribe the comment for the record. Members of the public can also provide written comments at one of the commenting stations. 

During the virtual meeting, the FAA will provide a pre-recorded presentation during the first half hour of the public meeting. The public can provide oral comments for up to three minutes during the virtual meeting. A moderator will facilitate verbal comments.

If any accommodation for the public meetings is needed (such as translation services), please submit a request by August 14, 2025 to the project email address: SpaceXStarship39AEIS@icf.com. 

All public meeting materials are available to view or download below.

• Public Meeting Presentation Slides
• Public In-person Meeting Informational Boards
• Public In-person Meeting Informational Handout

Scoping Period

The FAA published the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of issuing a commercial launch vehicle operator license to SpaceX for the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle at LC-39A at KSC, Florida on May 10, 2024, on the Federal Register. 

Publication of the NOI initiated the public scoping period. The FAA invited interested agencies, organizations, Native American Tribes, and members of the public to submit comments to inform the FAA on the significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the EIS (e.g., range of actions, alternatives, environmental impacts).

All comments received were posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov docket number FAA-2024-1395. The public scoping period ended on June 24, 2024. All comments will receive the same attention and consideration in the preparation of the EIS.

The FAA held three in-person scoping meetings and one virtual public scoping meeting.  The meetings allowed the public to receive information on the Proposed Action, meet lead and cooperating agency representatives, and provide comments to the record. The in-person public meetings were held on June 12, 2024 and June 13,2024. The virtual public meeting was held on June 17, 2024.

Project Background

When fully operational, SpaceX proposes that the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle will offer a heavy lift platform that expands the company’s ability to execute the totality of its current and expected future customers’ requirements.  By providing a reusable launch vehicle, SpaceX proposes that the Starship-Super Heavy would deliver efficient access to space and enable cost-effective delivery of cargo and people to the moon and Mars.  Currently, SpaceX is conducting flight tests of the Starship-Super Heavy at Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, an exclusive use launch site that serves as SpaceX’s primary research, development, and flight test launch facility for the vehicle.

In September 2019, the NASA completed the Final Environmental Assessment for the SpaceX Starship and Super Heavy Launch Vehicle at KSC (“2019 EA”) to evaluate the potential environmental impacts resulting from construction and operations associated with utilization of LC-39A for the SpaceX Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle in practical applications. LC-39A is a SpaceX-leased launch site located on northern KSC property and currently supports SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches. 

Within the context of the 2019 EA, the scope of the Proposed Action was defined as infrastructure development and Starship-Super Heavy operations.  Infrastructure development included construction of a launch mount, liquid methane farm, transport road, deluge water system, landing zone, and high-pressure gaseous commodity lines. Operations involved approximately 24 Starship-Super Heavy launches per year. NASA’s resultant Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) issued on September 19, 2019, concluded that the environmental impacts associated with Starship-Super Heavy infrastructure development and operations would not individually or cumulatively have a significant impact on the quality of the biological or physical environment.  SpaceX did not submit a vehicle operator license application for the Starship-Super Heavy launch operations at LC-39A subsequent to the completion of the 2019 EA; therefore, the FAA did not have a federal action to adopt NASA’s EA/FONSI. 

While the purpose and need for Starship-Super Heavy at LC-39A have not changed since the 2019 EA, the Starship-Super Heavy concept of operations has evolved from the original 2019 EA scope. SpaceX now proposes to construct additional launch infrastructure not previously contemplated in the 2019 EA; launch an advanced design of the Starship and Super Heavy vehicle; operate at a projected higher launch tempo; and land the Super Heavy booster at LC-39A in support of the reusability concept. Starship landings are no longer proposed to occur at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

• The 2019 EA can be accessed here.
• The 2019 FONSI can be accessed here.

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