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.

Public Meetings and Close of Comment Period Draft Environmental Impact Statement for SpaceX Starship-Super Heavy Launch Vehicle at Launch Complex 39A

The FAA held public meetings on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for SpaceX Starship-Super Heavy Vehicle operations at LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida (Draft EIS).

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.

The Draft EIS was available for download on this website. The Draft EIS and Executive Summary is available at https://www.regulations.gov/document/FAA-2024-1395-0075.

The FAA held two in-person public meetings on August 26, 2025, at Kennedy Space Center, FL, two in-person public meetings on August 28, 2025, in Cape Canaveral, Florida, and one virtual meeting on Wednesday, September 3, 2025.

Close of Comment Period

The FAA released the Draft EIS on August 4, 2025. All comments received on the Draft EIS will be given equal weight and be taken into consideration. 

The public comment period for the Draft EIS closed on September 29, 2025.

All comments received via Regulations.gov are available at online comments. All comments submitted online and in other formats will be addressed in the Final EIS. The FAA will then issue a Record of Decision. 

Meeting Materials

During the in-person and virtual meetings, members of the public had the opportunity to watch a pre-recorded presentation on the Draft EIS. All public meeting materials are available to view or download below.

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

For media inquiries, please contact the FAA Press Office at pressoffice@faa.gov. 
 

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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