SpaceX has received approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to increase the launch rate of its Starship rocket to up to 25 launches a year from its Starbase facility in South Texas. The FAA published a final environmental assessment on May 6, concluding that the expansion of Starship operations would not have a significant environmental impact on the area. This approval covers an equal number of landings for both stages—the Super Heavy booster and the upper-stage Starship vehicle—at the same facility, marking a significant advancement in SpaceX's goals for rapid rocket reusability and deep space travel.

According to the FAA's 53-page document titled 'Mitigated Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision,' the proposed expansion meets the environmental compliance standards set under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The agency determined that a full environmental impact statement was unnecessary, confirming assessments outlined in a draft released last November. SpaceX's operator license has been officially modified to support the increased launch and landing cadence without further environmental review.

This regulatory milestone allows SpaceX to continue testing and refining its Starship system, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, designed for rapid reusability and long-term missions to the Moon and Mars. Elon Musk's focus on time-and-frequency is considered a game changer for space travel sustainability and long-term mission planning.

Despite a Starship explosion during its seventh test flight, which the FAA investigated, SpaceX is planning two flights in 2025, scheduled for January and March. The upper-stage ship has returned to the tower after previous flights, with debris landing in the Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas. The ninth planned flight, currently under construction, has fully tested its engines. The FAA's decision removes a major regulatory obstacle, clearing the path for SpaceX to scale operations at Starbase.

Observers anticipate an even more aggressive flight cadence from SpaceX as the company tests systems for Mars missions and works toward less encumbered regulatory paths. Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket has also been approved for its first launch under an FAA license.