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SpaceX is looking to increase the launch frequency of its Starship rockets to 25 launches each year starting in 2025.
This would mark a dramatic increase from the 5 annual launches currently permitted at its Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas.
The Federal Aviation Administration recently released an environmental assessment draft of SpaceX’s proposal to boost the number of annual launches, as it continues to ramp up its test flights. The company’s massive SpaceX rocket is at the center of its ambitions to launch crew and cargo trips to the moon and Mars. It recently conducted two launches within two months, for a total of 6 times to date.
Although the launches would start at the company’s Starbase, landings could happen on a floating platform in various locations, including the Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific Ocean or the Indian Ocean, according to the draft.
To operate at a faster cadence, however, SpaceX must obtain a new license or a license modification from the FAA to launch and land Starship, as well as its Super Heavy booster. The original launch frequency was decided in 2022.
The FAA will have to review the potential environmental impact of accommodating more launches, including impact on wildlife, air emissions and water quality and noise levels. Some environmentalists believe the launches are impacting the local area. Each launch releases thousands of gallons of industrial wastewater into the environment. SpaceX has already faced more than $150,000 in fees for violations, according to an NPR report.
The request for more launches reflects SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s ambitions to launch hundreds of Starship missions during this decade, including a surge during President Trump’s administration. The company is also working on a Starship-related lander for NASA’s Artemis III mission to the moon, which will send the first woman and person of color to the moon. That mission is scheduled for September 2026, following delays caused by funding issues and technical challenges.
