A new FAA order for an environmental review of SpaceX’s Starship ops at Kennedy Space Center in Florida may delay the first Artemis, SpaceX moon landings.
Right now, NASA has a $4.2 billion contract with SpaceX to develop a Starship variant to land NASA’s first Artemis astronauts at the moon’s South Pole on Artemis-3 by the end of 2026. SpaceX hopes to fly an un-crewed Starship lunar landing test in 2025, to give NASA confidence for a crewed landing.
Starship is not far enough developed to support landing by 2026
That schedule however will likely change. Word through the aerospace grapevine is Artemis-3 will be a lunar mission, no matter where Starship development is. There is already work on changing Artemis-3’s mission parameters to a lunar orbit mission, rather than a crewed landing.
Artemis-4 is slated to be a mission to put a space station in lunar orbit, called Gateway.
Starship has only flown 3 flight tests to date. They gained tons of data and accomplished numerous milestones, but have yet to achieve a full successful test profile. They’ll need to accomplish several, and many successful operational missions, before NASA even thinks of putting their astronauts on a Starship to land on the moon.
That alone makes an Artemis-3 moon landing in 2026 unlikely, being only 1.5 years away. SpaceX leader Elon Musk said himself that Starship won’t be ready for several years. Not to mention other complications such as SpaceX needing 2 Starships for on-orbit refueling to support 1 Artemis landing.
The dry lander will be launched to Earth orbit, followed by a fully-fueled tanker Starship which will dock with and fuel the lander. The lander would then fly to lunar orbit to await Artemis and NASA’s Orion spacecraft.
NASA says Starship won’t significantly impact the ecosystem around KSC. FAA says not so fast
Now, the FAA has thrown a wrench in the timeline. SpaceX is currently building the launch pad, tower, and infrastructure to support over 40 Starship launches and landings annually from Kennedy’s historic launch complex 39A. SpaceX already launches crews and Falcon-9 and Falcon Heavy rockets from 39A.
KSC has co-existed beautifully over the decades with the protected national wildlife refuge and seashore it shares. They know how to launch the most powerful vehicles ever made from a vibrant ecosystem, home to 1500 different plants and wildlife. They are responsible for more protected species than any other federal property in the continental United States.
Needless to say, NASA and KSC know how to do spaceflight without harming an ecosystem. NASA led an environmental assessment (EA) for Starship ops in 2019, concluding that Starship wouldn’t cause any significant impact.
FAA orders an environmental impact statement to be done for Starship ops at KSC
SpaceX’s plans, however, have changed since then. So, the FAA now wants a more in-depth environmental impact statement (EIS) conducted.
“While the 2019 EA prepared by NASA provides an analytical baseline, the environmental impacts of these proposed changes to Starship-Super Heavy LC-39A development and operations will be specifically analyzed in this EIS,” said the FAA.
“SpaceX now proposes to construct additional launch infrastructure not previously contemplated in the 2019 EA. Launch an advanced design of the Starship and Super Heavy vehicle; operate at a projected higher launch tempo; and land the Super Heavy booster at LC-39A in support of the reusability concept,” added the FAA.
It’s a big deal. An EIS on average takes 2 years to complete. Even once done, it won’t give Starship the key to space either. The FAA will still need to issue a vehicle operator’s license.
FAA is being sued for not making SpaceX do a EIA/S for Starbase before allowing Starship flight tests
SpaceX conducts Starship flight tests from their “Starbase” in south Texas. The FAA, however, is being sued for allegedly not following their own regulations, requiring (allegedly) that SpaceX do a new EIA/S for testing and launching Starships from Starbase. The place also shares protected ecosystems with the state of Texas.
Seems quite a coincidence. Now the FAA wants to conduct an EIS on Starship, from a property NASA has already said is ok.
FAA invites public input
SpaceX is responsible for preparing the EIS, under FAA supervision. The public is invited to give their 2-cents via 2 in-person public meetings. They’ll take place in Brevard County, FL on June 12-13. A virtual meeting will be held on June 17. Public comments can be submitted until June 24.
Click here to learn more.
