SpaceX could soon see five times as many launches from Starbase, Texas, FAA says
The Federal Aviation Administration has given SpaceX the green light to increase its Starbase launches to 25 per year — that is, if other requirements are met. This will significantly expand the development of Texas billionaire Elon Musk's space company.
SpaceX was previously limited to just five launches a year. The company had proposed the increase during the Biden Administration, and the final review was announced Tuesday.
The FAA said the change in SpaceX's Starship license "would not significantly impact the quality of the human environment." The review was mandated under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which requires the evaluation of environmental impact on proposed actions before they are approved.
Before Starship's license is changed, there are still some pending actions.
"There are other licensing requirements still to be completed," the FAA said in an emailed statement to CNBC News. Remaining requirements relate to "policy, payload, safety, financial responsibility and environmental impacts."
"Once the evaluation process is complete, the FAA will make a determination to approve or deny the license application," the agency added.
People are also reading: Upscale Austin suburb annoyed with Elon Musk's security, parties, 16-foot-high chain fence
SpaceX headquarters Starbase becomes new Texas city
The FAA's approval comes days after South Texas residents approved the incorporation of Starbase. Voters, the majority of whom are employed by SpaceX, chose to transfer authority from county officials to the city's new mayor, Bobby Peden, and the city council.
Back in December, Kathryn Lueders, the general manager of Starbase, wrote the official request to Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr.
"To continue growing the workforce necessary to rapidly develop and manufacture Starship, we need the ability to grow Starbase as a community," the petition letter said in part. "That is why we are requesting that Cameron County call an election to enable the incorporation of Starbase as the newest city in the Rio Grande Valley."
— Reuters contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: SpaceX gets FAA approval to increase Starship launches to 25 per year
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