By ARABELLA SERRATA
Staff Writer
SpaceX has announced plans for expanded launch operations at its Boca Chica launch site in Cameron County, Texas. The new proposal, named Starship/Super Heavy, includes increased launch and landing activities for the company’s spacecraft.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will conduct public meetings to discuss SpaceX’s Draft Tiered Environmental Assessment (Draft EA) proposal. This proposal aims to increase the number of launches and landings of the Starship/Super Heavy vehicle at Boca Chica.
The Draft EA evaluates SpaceX’s request to conduct up to 25 annual orbital launches of the Starship/Super Heavy vehicle. Additionally, it includes provisions for up to 25 annual landings of the Starship and 25 annual landings of the Super Heavy booster. The Draft EA will address the necessary vehicle upgrades and will be released for public review and comment by late July 2024.
The FAA has scheduled several public meetings to gather feedback and address concerns from the community. Public meetings regarding SpaceX’s Draft Tiered Environmental Assessment (Draft EA) proposal will be held on several dates. The first meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, from 1-3 p.m. and again from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the City of South Padre Island Convention Center, located at 7355 Padre Blvd., South Padre Island, TX 78597. The second meeting will take place on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, during the same time frames, at the Port Isabel Event & Cultural Center, located at 309 E Railroad Ave, Port Isabel, TX 78578. The final meeting will be held virtually on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Each meeting will begin with a pre-recorded presentation available in both English and Spanish, accessible on the FAA website starting August 13. Following the presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to submit both written and oral comments.
SpaceX is a commercial space transportation company that manufactures and launches rockets and spacecraft. Headquartered in Hawthorne, California, the company’s Starship/Super Heavy project aims to achieve human missions to Mars. More information about SpaceX can be found on their website at spacex.com.
SpaceX officials encourage individuals requiring special accommodations for the meetings to make requests by Aug. 2, 2024, via email at SpaceXBocaChica@icf.com. For media inquiries, the FAA press office’s contact is at pressoffice@faa.gov. The FAA and SpaceX officials state the importance of community input in the Draft EA process.
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