This is a major milestone for SpaceX: Elon Musk's company is now authorized to conduct up to 25 annual launches of its Starship mega-rocket from its Starbase site in Boca Chica, South Texas. Previously limited to five flights per year, the company is now seeing its capacity multiplied by five, with the possibility of as many landings for each of the launcher's two stages—the Super Heavy booster and the Starship itself.
25 launches per year from Starbase
The decision follows the publication a few days ago of a 53-page final environmental report by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It concluded that this ramp-up "would not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment," which obviates the need for a more in-depth environmental impact study. This conclusion, "Mitigated Finding of No Significant Impact," therefore paves the way for a modification of SpaceX's launch license.
This green light is only part of the regulatory process, the FAA points out, however. Other criteria still need to be examined, including safety, financial responsibility, payload, and environmental compliance. Final launch authorization therefore remains pending these reviews.
The FAA's announcement comes in a tense climate. Since Starship's debut in 2023, tests have been accompanied by multiple explosions, debris falling as far away as the Bahamas, and documented environmental impacts. A failed test in April 2023 sparked a 1.4-hectare fire on protected land, damaging the nests and habitats of endangered species.
Last year, SpaceX was also sanctioned for repeated violations of the Clean Water Act, the US water law, after unauthorized discharges into aquatic environments near the base. Organizations such as the Center for Biological Diversity sued the FAA for its authorizations, which they deemed rushed and lacking real ecological safeguards. One of their lawyers said he was "extremely disappointed, but not surprised" by this decision, accusing the agency of ignoring the consequences for "an ecologically critical area."
At the same time, Elon Musk's relationship with federal institutions has been strained. After threatening to sue the FAA, the billionaire ultimately injected hundreds of millions into Donald Trump's campaign, as he returned to the presidency. He is now an influential player in his government, particularly in the stated desire to reduce the weight of regulatory agencies.
One last peculiarity: Starbase is no longer just an industrial site. A few days before the FAA's announcement, SpaceX employees won a local election to make the base a city in its own right. The mayor and the two newly elected commissioners all work for the company. A way for Musk to cement his control over the infrastructure—and perhaps, indirectly, over future local decisions.
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