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A draft environmental assessment of SpaceX’s proposal to dramatically increase the number of launches from Boca Chica/Starbase is now available for public review, the Federal Aviation Administration’s SpaceX Boca Chica Project Team announced Monday.
Formally titled the “Draft Tiered Environmental Assessment (EA),” an electronic version of the document can be found at the FAA’s Office of Commerce Space Transportation website.
SpaceX is proposing up to 25 orbital launches of its combined Starship-Super Heavy vehicle from Boca Chica, plus up to 25 landings of Starship and Super Heavy each at the launch site. Up until now the company has not retrieved any of its Starships or Super Heavy boosters, though the goal is to retrieve and reuse both components multiple times to lower the cost of spaceflight.
SpaceX conducted its first two Starship orbital test flights last year from Boca Chica. Two more have taken place so far this year, on March 14 and June 6. Elon Musk, the company’s founder and CEO, posted on social media on July 5 that the fifth orbital test flight would take place “in four weeks,” which turned out to be characteristically overly optimistic.
Musk said in a July 28 video conference that the fifth flight likely wouldn’t happen before late August or early September, depending on when the FAA grants the required modified launch license.
The Draft EA also address upgrades to Starship and Super Heavy, according to the FAA, which has scheduled two public meetings to gather input on SpaceX’s proposal. The first meeting takes place Aug. 13, 1-3 p.m. and 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the South Padre Island Convention Center, 7355 Padre Blvd.
The second meeting will be held Aug. 15, 1-3 p.m. and 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the Port Isabel Event and Cultural Center, 309 E. Railroad Ave.
The first half hour of each public meeting will feature a prerecorded presentation, followed by an “open house information-station format” in which FAA representatives will provide further information on the project.
“At any time during the open house portion of the meeting, the public will have the opportunity to provide verbal comments to a court reporter or written comments via a written comment form at one of several commenting stations,” the agency said. “English-Spanish translation services will be provided at the in-person meetings.”
A virtual meeting will also take place, on Aug. 20, 5:30-7:30 p.m. The public can register here. Members of the public providing oral comments will have three minutes each to do so, with a moderator on hand. English-Spanish translation services will be provided in the virtual meeting as well.
English and Spanish versions of the presentation will be made available to the public beginning Aug. 13.
To request special accommodations, such as additional translation services, submit a request by Aug. 2 to the project email address: [email protected].
The public can also submit comments on the Draft EA electronically at www.regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2024-2006, and by postal mail to Amy Hanson, SpaceX EA, c/o ICF 1902 Reston Metro Plaza Reston, VA 20190. The public comment period for the Draft EA closes on August 29.
“Before including your address, phone number, e-mail 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,” the FAA said.
“While you can ask the FAA in your comment to withhold from public review your personal identifying information, the FAA cannot guarantee that it 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 EA.”
