SpaceX wants to launch up to 120 times a year from Florida — and competitors aren’t happy about it
SpaceX plans up to 120 launches in Florida, raising concerns from rivals Blue Origin and ULA about disruption and environmental impact.
SpaceX has proposed launching its Starship rocket up to 120 times annually from two pads in Florida: 44 times from NASA's Kennedy Space Center and 76 times from Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. These plans have sparked objections from competitors like Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance, citing concerns about disruptions to their launch schedules and the environmental impact.
The U.S. Space Force is set to release a draft environmental assessment this winter, which will finalize SpaceX's launch cadence. Public meetings in March allowed for comments on these plans, and the Space Force is also considering constructing a new launch pad, SLC-50, as an alternative option.
Elon Musk envisions Starship as critical for future space exploration, including potential missions to Mars, aiming to eventually achieve multiple launches per day. Public comments on these plans have included significant concerns from Blue Origin and ULA, who worry about the effects on other launch providers and environmental factors. Both agencies are preparing separate environmental impact statements to examine the proposed activities in detail.