WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Friday it was again extending its target date to complete an environmental review of the proposed SpaceX Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket program in Boca Chica, Texas, to May 31.
The FAA’s previous target date was April 29 after a series of earlier delays. The FAA said SpaceX made multiple changes to its application that require additional FAA analysis and the agency is still reviewing around 18,000 public comments.
The FAA noted that completing the environmental review does not guarantee a vehicle operator license will be issued, which must also meet FAA safety, risk and financial responsibility requirements.
The FAA is deciding whether the planned build-out in Texas poses a significant environmental impact to the area – including an adjacent wildlife reserve – and must therefore undergo a far more extensive study before expanded operations at SpaceX’s rocket production facility and spaceport in Boca Chica can be licensed.
(Reporting by David Shepardson, Editing by Franklin Paul)
