The Federal Aviation Administration said on Monday that there are no environmental issues with the plans to launch a giant new rocket.
According to an environmental assessment by the agency, there will be no significant impact on the Gulf Coast. The F.A.A. requires the company to take more than 75 actions to minimize the impact on the surrounding areas as it begins flights of Starship, a vehicle that is central to NASA's plans to return to the moon.
The actions Mr. Musk's company must take include earlier notice of launches, monitoring of vegetation and wildlife by a Biologist, coordination with state and federal agencies to remove launch debris from sensitive habitats and adjustment of lighting to diminish impact on wildlife and a nearby beach
People can't visit the nearby beach, park and wildlife refuge during launches because of the measures required by the F.A.A. The highway can't be closed on 18 holidays and on more than five weekends a year, according to the agency.
A more comprehensive environmental impact statement is not needed because of the decision. The regulatory move could face legal challenges, as well as the need for a license from the F.A.A.
The site of the company is in a village called Boca Chica.
There, for several years, the company has been working on a rocket that would be the most powerful in the world. It will be more than 400 feet high and taller than the Statue of Liberty.
Unlike previous rockets, it will be completely re-usable. Less than $10 million to take 100 tons to space is the cost that Mr. Musk has said could be cut in half.
There are a number of factors that make Boca Chica a good place to launch rockets. It is as far south as one can get on the continental US. It is possible to add the speed of Earth's rotation to the rocket's speed with a launchpad close to the Equator.
The launch path goes away from populated areas to minimize risk to people on the ground.
ocelots and Kemp's ridley sea turtles are two of the animals that live in the wetlands. The Lower Rio Grande National Wildlife refuge is one of the places that State Highway 4 goes through. Environmentalists worry that a constant stream of launches with loud noises and rocket exhaust will disrupt the ecology.
Adding a natural gas plant, installing a solar power farm, building parking lots, and conducting more test flights will affect the environment.
The site has created a discussion about the economy. About a third of the people in the area live below the poverty line, and many officials and residents welcome the influx of money and prestige that will come from the new business. Some worry that gentrification will push people out of their homes.
People must leave their homes before launches. After a short test flight of a prototype, it exploded before it landed undamaged.
The F.A.A. gave the green light to test and launch the smaller Falcon 9. The most frequently launched rocket is the Falcon 9. The company used its other sites in California and Florida to launch from.
The larger the spaceship, the greater the impact on the surrounding areas.
The F.A.A. needed a new environmental assessment before the launch of the spaceship. During the first test flight, the Super Heavy booster would attempt to land in the Gulf of Mexico, while the Starship stage would attempt to land in the ocean off Hawaii.
In September, the agency published a draft of the document that suggested no major hurdles that would need to be overcome for a full environmental impact statement to be made. The final version was supposed to be released at the end of December but was delayed several times due to the need to consider 18,000 comments on the preliminary document.
Mr. Musk said in February that he was hopeful that the F.A.A. would approve the project. There may be an approval in March according to Mr. Musk.
That didn't happen, but Mr. Musk said an attempt could happen within a couple of months. Based on Monday's decision, the company hasn't announced an updated launch schedule.
NASA has a space center in Florida.
In addition to the eventual trips to Mars, Starship is to be used by NASA to send astronauts to the moon. Blue Origin, the rocket company founded by Jeff Bezos of Amazon, and the defense contractor Dynetics were the other two companies that submitted bids. The moon landing is supposed to take place in 2025. The Space Launch System is a large rocket under development by NASA that is behind schedule.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
