SpaceX is looking to increase the number of Starship megarocket flights next year, and it seems that regulations will not be a hindrance.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released a draft environmental assessment (EA) of Starship operations at Starbase, SpaceX’s facility in South Texas on Wednesday (Nov. 20).
The 160-page document, available here, approves SpaceX’s request to increase the annual Starship liftoffs from five to 25 at Starbase, as well as the number of landings for both Starship elements.
Starship is a key element in SpaceX’s plans to settle the moon and Mars, being a fully reusable rocket designed for multiple launches per day. The 400-foot-tall vehicle has already completed six test flights from Starbase, with the most recent successful launch occurring on Tuesday (Nov. 19).
The draft EA is preliminary and will be further discussed in public meetings in South Texas in January. SpaceX and Elon Musk have voiced concerns about FAA regulations, but changes may come with the new administration, with Musk appointed to help cut excess regulations.
