SpaceX secures Starship boost after winning approval for 25 launches a year

Company overcomes key regulatory challenge in its mission to start commercial operations of powerful rocket

The SpaceX Starship spacecraft lifts off from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, on March 14, 2024. AFP

SpaceX is primed to accelerate development of its Starship space rocket after being granted permission to increase its launches from five to 25 per year.

The US Federal Aviation Administration issued its final environmental assessment, in which it said that SpaceX’s licence was being modified to increase the number of launches from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas.

Starship, a two-stage system that involves the Super Heavy Booster and the Starship spacecraft, has been launched on eight test flights in two years, with each one bringing SpaceX closer to beginning commercial operations.

“The FAA's evaluation of a permit or licence application includes a review of public safety issues (such as overflight of populated areas and payload contents), national security or foreign policy concerns, insurance requirements for the launch operator and potential environmental impact,” the administration said.

Dr Sarath Raj, project director of the Satellite Ground Station at Dubai's Amity University, told The National that the move will “significantly accelerate” the rocket’s development.

“This substantial increase from the previous limit allows SpaceX to implement a rapid iterative testing campaign, quickly identifying and rectifying design or operational flaws through frequent flight data,” he said.

“Each launch provides invaluable real-world performance data crucial for refining the Starship system, including its novel full reusability aspects.”

More flights, faster progress

SpaceX has also used this rapid development approach for its flagship Falcon rockets, building and testing them quickly to gather data and make improvements.

But frequent test flights of Starship have been a challenge in the past due to strict requirements.

Billionaire Elon Musk threatened to sue the FAA in September after it proposed to issue $633,009 worth of penalties to SpaceX for not following licence requirements during two of its launches in 2023.

When US President Donald Trump won the election in November, experts predicted that the new administration would help fast-track Starship’s path to commercial operations by cutting down on regulatory delays.

“For instance, the administration could prioritise rapid permitting for launches and streamline environmental reviews, which have historically slowed SpaceX operations at Boca Chica,” Sahith Madara, an aerospace engineer and founder of Paris advisory firm Bumi and Space, told The National at the time.

“The FAA could waive certain regulatory requirements or set aggressive deadlines for assessments, potentially shortening the approval timeline for each launch.”

Powerful friend in the White House

The Trump administration has historically advocated for reducing regulatory barriers and expediting approval processes, especially for industries it considers critical to the US, such as aerospace and defence.

Mr Musk has influence in the administration, having been appointed by Mr Trump to lead a drive to improve government efficiency.

“With Trump’s re-election, his administration’s pro-space, tech-driven and industrial vision for America’s future could lead to supportive FAA policies for commercial space ventures, potentially fast-tracking projects like Starship,” said Anna Hazlett, founder of AzurX, a UAE-based space advisory and investment firm.

On May 3, SpaceX's launch site Starbase officially became a city in Texas, after residents of the area, many of whom are SpaceX employees, voted in favour of Mr Musk's proposal.

While the regulatory approval enables SpaceX to speed up development, Dr Raj said that the company should still manage environmental responsibilities.

SpaceX's Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas. AP

Boca Chica, on the Texas Gulf Coast, is home to sensitive wildlife habitats and has been at the centre of environmental debates over rocket debris, noise and pollution.

“Crucially, this progress must be accompanied by robust environmental monitoring, including air and water quality, noise levels and debris impact, ensuring alignment with global sustainability efforts in space activities,” he said.

Starship is central to SpaceX’s long-term vision, as the company holds a $2.89 billion Nasa contract to develop a lunar landing system for the Artemis programme.

Mr Musk’s ultimate goal, however, is to use the rocket to “make life multiplanetary” and eventually send humans to Mars.

A new budget proposal for Nasa by the White House suggests a greater focus on human space exploration of the Moon and Mars.

The ninth test flight of Starship is planned for this month.

In the previous flight in March, the Starship spacecraft successfully separated from the booster, which then returned to be captured mid-air by mechanical arms on a launch tower.

Mission control lost contact with the spacecraft during its ascent. It broke up and re-entered the atmosphere over Florida and the Bahamas.