SpaceX has clear way to make orbital launches to Mars

After months of delay, The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has finally given the green light to the possibility that SpaceX can launch into orbit with star ship from a platform in Boca Chica, a city located in Cameron County, Texas.

The aviation regulator concluded that the company’s operations in the territory “would not cause any significant impact” on the environment. As long as, yes SpaceX is making some changes to its facilities.

The company founded and managed by Elon Musk you need to make up to 75 modifications to your spaceport in an effort to reduce the environmental impact of the area, according to one of the documents released by the parent FAA after the inspection.

Once these changes are complete, SpaceX will need to obtain a launch permit from the regulator. The FAA must then verify and conclude whether the company can perform orbital launches with Starship, the massive spacecraft that Musk wants to make trips to Mars.

The first orbital flight of the Starship was delayed for environmental reasons

To put readers in context, Elon Musk Y SpaceX they closed 2021 with not too pleasant news. And it is that the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States (FAA) announced in December of last year that it will delay its final decision on whether or not to grant the license that the aerospace company needs to carry out launches for orbital flights with the spacecraft star ship taking off from Boca Chica, Texas.

At that time, the US Federal Aviation Administration presented a draft of the Programmatic Environmental Assessmentthrough which it had to be decided if the conditions were met to grant SpaceX an experimental license or permit to carry out its launches.

At the same time, the body opened the reception of public comments on said draft, and has received such an amount that it has been forced to change the date of presentation of its final report. Thus, the decision that was expected for December 31, 2021 had to be delayed until today, Wednesday June 15, 2022.

This is not the first time that the FAA has carried out a review of the SpaceX base in Boca Chica

It did so in 2014, when the goal of the aerospace company was to make up to 12 annual launches with two of its rockets: Falcon 9 Y Falcon Heavy.

However, SpaceX has turned its Texas factory into a much more ambitious hub. In the region, not only the production of various Starship prototypes is carried out.

They were also made launch and landing tests, which in most cases were incomplete. The rocket blasts have really wreaked havoc on the surrounding natural areas.

The plan B that SpaceX has always had in the face of the inconvenience of the FAA

Multiple delays in the FAA’s environmental assessment have resulted in a great deal of uncertainty on the part of SpaceX. Nevertheless, the company always makes sure to have a plan B in case the authorities do not approve the Starship launches at the Boca Chica base; transfer missions to the base at Cape Canaveral in Florida.

In fact, according to Reuters, the aerospace company is making rapid progress building new launch pads at Cape Canaveral as a replacement for the ones it has in Boca Chica.

One of these platforms also appears to be designed to launch with Starship. And, incidentally, transport the astronauts to the International Space Station.