FAA initiates environmental impact study for SpaceX Starship launches from KSC

SpaceX’s Plans for Starship Launch Complex at Kennedy Space Center

SpaceX is moving closer to building a Starship launch complex at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), while potentially taking over a launch site from neighboring Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that it will conduct an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Starship launches from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A. SpaceX has already constructed the beginning of a Starship launch tower adjacent to its existing pad that supports Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches.

Shift in Focus to Starship Development

In late 2022, noticeable work on the new launch tower came to a halt as SpaceX shifted its focus to developing its Starship and Super Heavy rocket at its Texas test launch site. The powerful rocket produces over 16 million pounds of thrust at liftoff, nearly double that of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket for its Artemis program.

Recent Starship Launches

In March, the most recent Starship launch saw the upper stage achieve orbit before burning up on reentry over the Indian Ocean, while the Super Heavy booster crashed into the Gulf of Mexico. SpaceX is currently preparing for its fourth test flight after two previous explosive endings. These launches demonstrate the progress made in Starship development.

Environmental Assessment and EIS

NASA, which leases LC 39-A to SpaceX, completed an Environmental Assessment (EA) in 2019 under the National Environmental Policy Act for Starship. However, the EA was never submitted to the FAA for a launch license. Changes in the rocket design and SpaceX’s intended launch plans prompted NASA to call for a more stringent EIS, which could take around 18 months to complete.

Proposed Launch Plans

The SpaceX proposal includes constructing the necessary infrastructure to support up to 44 launches per year from Launch Complex 39-A with Super Heavy booster and Starship vehicle recovery landings at LC 39-A or on a droneship, or expending them in the ocean. This plan builds on the previous plan from 2019, which called for up to 24 launches and landings at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. The new plan envisions Super Heavy boosters returning back to the launch site at KSC.

Public Meetings and Comments

The FAA has published a notice to conduct the EIS and has scheduled in-person public meetings on June 12 and June 13, as well as a virtual meeting on June 17. During this “scoping period,” the public can submit comments in person or electronically until June 24. These comments will be considered as part of the EIS process.

Department of Defense’s Interest

The Department of Defense is also interested in Starship’s capabilities and plans to have its own launch pad similar to how SpaceX maintains Falcon 9 launches from Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 40. The Air Force has started an EIS for its potential Starship site at Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 37.

Starship’s Potential

Starship is SpaceX’s planned fully reusable rocket that aims to eventually replace its Falcon family of rockets. With the capacity to fly up to 100 passengers or up to 500,000 pounds of cargo to space, Starship has the potential for Mars settlement and point-to-point flights on Earth. NASA is also considering using a version of Starship for the Artemis III mission to return astronauts to the lunar surface.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 14: Life Below Water
• SDG 15: Life on Land

The article discusses SpaceX’s plans to build a Starship launch complex, which is related to the development of industry, innovation, and infrastructure (SDG 9). It also mentions the potential environmental impact of the project, which connects to the goals of sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11) and climate action (SDG 13). Additionally, the article mentions the impact of rocket launches on the ocean and the need to consider the biological and physical environment, which relates to the goals of life below water (SDG 14) and life on land (SDG 15).

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure
• Target 11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage
• Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning
• Target 14.1: Prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution
• Target 15.1: Ensure conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets under the identified SDGs include the development of sustainable infrastructure (Target 9.1), protection of cultural and natural heritage (Target 11.4), integration of climate change measures into planning (Target 13.2), prevention of marine pollution (Target 14.1), and conservation of terrestrial ecosystems (Target 15.1).

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 9.1.1: Proportion of the rural population who live within 2 km of an all-season road
• Indicator 11.4.1: Total expenditure (public and private) per capita spent on the preservation, protection, and conservation of cultural and natural heritage
• Indicator 13.2.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning measures into national policies, strategies, and planning
• Indicator 14.1.1: Index of coastal eutrophication and floating plastic debris density
• Indicator 15.1.1: Forest area as a proportion of total land area

The article does not explicitly mention indicators related to the identified targets. However, indicators such as the proportion of the rural population living near roads (Indicator 9.1.1), expenditure on heritage preservation (Indicator 11.4.1), integration of climate change measures into national policies (Indicator 13.2.1), coastal eutrophication and plastic debris density (Indicator 14.1.1), and forest area as a proportion of total land area (Indicator 15.1.1) can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Copyright: Dive into this article, curated with care by SDG Investors Inc. Our advanced AI technology searches through vast amounts of data to spotlight how we are all moving forward with the Sustainable Development Goals. While we own the rights to this content, we invite you to share it to help spread knowledge and spark action on the SDGs.

Fuente: orlandosentinel.com

Join us, as fellow seekers of change, on a transformative journey at https://sdgtalks.ai/welcome, where you can become a member and actively contribute to shaping a brighter future.