SpaceX The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday it would require Elon Musk’s SpaceX to make dozens of environmental adjustments to conduct further Starship flight tests and launch operational launches from its Boca Chica, Texas facility. SpaceX will need to take more than 75 actions to mitigate the environmental impact before the company receives a launch permit for the site, the FAA said in a press release. Mitigation includes protection of water resources, noise level limits and control of biohazardous materials, among others. SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC, but in a tweet shared a link to the FAA website with a short message: “One step closer to Starship’s first orbital flight test”. The company is developing the reusable Starship rocket, almost 400 feet high, aimed at transporting cargo and groups of people across the Earth. Its rocket and Super Heavy amplifier are powered by SpaceX’s Raptor engine range. The FAA began reviewing the program in November 2020, as the company began building its infrastructure and operations off the coast of the Gulf of Mexico near Brownsville, Texas. The agency has delayed its final evaluation five times in the last six months as it examined data on the program. Monday’s decision on a Moderate Finding with No Significant Impact remains a partial victory for SpaceX, saving the company from a lengthy review of its operations, known as the Environmental Impact Statement. The FAA released two key documents Monday: A summary of the environmental assessment and a detailed summary of the actions the company needs to take. As part of the FAA review, a report earlier this year by the US Fish and Wildlife Service received from CNBC found a correlation between SpaceX activity in the area and the recent decline in the local population of piping plover, an endangered bird species. . However, FWS proposed minimal maintenance costs or commitments from SpaceX. SpaceX has completed multiple high-altitude flight tests with Starship prototypes, but has not yet reached space after development delays and regulations. In February, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk gave a presentation on Starship at the company’s Starbase facility in Texas, outlining the way forward and the obstacles to testing the rocket.
