SpaceX Asks Federal Regulators for Permission to Launch Starship Up to 456 Times Annually From South Texas

SpaceX has asked federal regulators for permission to launch its Starship megarocket up to 456 times per year from its South Texas facility. The current approved limit at the Starbase site near Brownsville stands at 25 launches annually. Standing over 400 feet tall, Starship is the largest rocket ever built and is designed for rapid reusability.

The vehicle has completed 14 test flights to date. During its most recent mission on September 28, the rocket reached orbit and deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites. SpaceX plans to build massive satellite networks, including a proposed Starmind artificial intelligence constellation. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration announced it is preparing a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement to review the proposal.

The agency reported that SpaceX aims to reach the target cadence in two phases. Phase 1 would allow up to 100 annual launches and 200 landings on any day of the week. Phase 2 would cover 456 launches and 912 landings restricted to weekdays. Because both the Super Heavy booster and the Ship upper stage are designed to return to the launch pad, the 456 flights would require 912 total landings.

The FAA scheduled five public scoping meetings for next month, including four in-person sessions