SpaceX has received FAA approval for up to 25 Starship launches each year from its Boca Chica facility, a key milestone in advancing its space exploration aims. This decision deemed that the environmental impact of the expanded launch plans was minimal, amidst ongoing legal disputes with environmental advocates. However, critics like Christopher Basaldu argue that the assessment overlooks potential risks to local ecosystems and public safety. The FAA's ruling coincided with a local governance shift, as Starbase residents, primarily SpaceX workers, voted to incorporate their area as a city, further intertwining community and corporate interests.
"You're bragging about the big slot rocket in history, and then you're also trying to claim that it makes no environmental impact; that's impossible. So they're lying."
"The FAA noted that there are other licensing requirements still to be completed, including evaluations of policy, payload, safety, financial responsibility, and environmental impacts."
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