SpaceX Aims for Up to 120 Annual Launches from Florida, Sparking Discontent Among Rivals

The bold ambitions of SpaceX to initiate up to 44 annual Starship mega-rocket flights from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center have sparked concerns among competitive entities. Recent submissions by Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance to regulatory bodies have highlighted the necessity for minimal interruptions for surrounding launch activities, with Blue Origin even proposing that Starship flights be restricted to specific times and that other operators be given priority rights for scheduling over potentially conflicting launches.

Furthermore, SpaceX seems to be setting its sights even higher with plans for an additional launching pad adjacent to the existing one: Space Launch Complex (SLC)-37 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Public input was sought during March meetings on the proposal, suggesting Starship could launch from SLC-37 as many as 76 times a year. This would push SpaceX’s aspirations to reach a staggering 120 launches annually in a concentrated area of the Florida coastline.

The draft environmental review, presently being prepared by the U.S. Space Force and set for release this winter, will present the finalized expected launch frequency. A representative from the Space Force conveyed to TechCrunch the possibility of revisions to these launch numbers, influenced by the progression of Starship’s development or environmental considerations such as the habitat of the scrub jay, a threatened species indigenous to Florida.

Even with these considerations still in flux, competitors of SpaceX were reportedly using the 76-launch figure as a reference in recent discussions, although SpaceX has not directly responded to inquiries for comment.

Expansion across Florida and Texas

SLC-37, a site with a rich history including its use for NASA’s Saturn rockets and more recently, ULA’s Delta IV series, is seeing a potential revival with SpaceX’s plans. Following the final flight of the Delta IV Heavy in April, the Space Force announced in February the commencement of a comprehensive environmental impact analysis for Starship launches at the site.

Simultaneously, the Federal Aviation Administration is evaluating the environmental impact of proposed Starship launches at Kennedy Space Center’s pad 39A. These analyses aim to assess the ecological consequences of both launching and landing operations, with Starship’s Super Heavy boosters designed to return to the launch pad, a method reminiscent of SpaceX’s Falcon rocket recoveries.

The assessment for SLC-37 additionally contemplates an alternate proposal to construct a brand-new launch facility, tentatively identified as SLC-50. Regardless of the chosen site, extensive construction efforts including the creation of deluge ponds, fuel depots, and a catch tower would be required, potentially leading to over 120 launches annually from the combined sites.

These two Floridian launch platforms would augment SpaceX’s existing launch setup at Starbase in Southeast Texas, which also includes a current and a forthcoming Starship launch tower. SpaceX is on track to operate four Starship launch facilities in the foreseeable future.

Elon Musk, SpaceX’s chief visionary, harbors grandiose visions for Starship, viewing it as crucial for Mars colonization and broadening human consciousness across the universe. His long-term objective involves executing multiple Starship flights daily, thereby transporting vast quantities of cargo into low Earth orbit or further. Parallelly, SpaceX aims to scale up its Starship manufacturing to enable the production of one second-stage rocket daily.

Countering moves by Blue Origin and ULA

During the preliminary stages, the public has been encouraged to share their thoughts on the comprehensive scope of these plans ahead of the publication of a draft environmental impact statement. Despite not yet being public, comments from pad 39A at Kennedy have surfaced, revealing significant apprehensions from Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance about the projected operational pace and its potential to affect nearby launch activities adversely as well as the environment.

“The potential for just one Starship launch facility to disrupt the launch schedule of others and cause considerable environmental damage was underlined. These concerns will undoubtedly be exacerbated by operations from two closely situated launch sites,” according to a statement by ULA. The communication further extrapolated that nearly 100 launches might occur annually, equating to one every few days, should SpaceX reach its proposed launch frequency at both locations.

Blue Origin, preparing for its New Glenn rocket launches from LC-36, suggested several mitigations in its submission, indicating the perceived direct competition for launch opportunities. Among the suggestions was a proposal for SpaceX or a governmental entity to compensate third parties for any disruptions or losses incurred from Starship launch activities.