Earlier this week, Elon Musk announced that SpaceX aims to attempt the first orbital Starship launch sometime in November, pending regulatory approval.
Retweeting a plea from @SpacePadreIsle to submit comments in support of the project to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is currently evaluating the Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for the proposed launch and looking for public input, by November 1, Musk said, “Your support makes a big difference. Please let @FAA know your opinion.”
Your support makes a big difference! Please let the FAA know your opinion. https://t.co/4T3NaemoCr
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 23, 2021
In August, SpaceX successfully stacked its Starship space vehicle atop its Super Heavy booster rocket, named Booster B4, for the very first time. Before SpaceX can actually launch its Starship/Super Heavy vehicle, however, the company needs experimental permit(s) and/or a vehicle operator license from the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation.
The FAA will decide whether to issue permits and licenses for SpaceX after evaluating the rocket company’s proposal on a number of different fronts — the Draft PEA covers the potential environmental impacts of SpaceX’s Starship/Super Heavy launch operations from the Boca Chica Launch Site in Cameron County, Texas.
The FAA is accepting comments on the matter until November 1, and you can voice your opinion via email using a form on the FAA website.
A copy of the Draft PEA can be downloaded from the FAA website.
In a tweet from last month when the FAA opened the Draft PEA for public comment, Musk said, “Humanity’s future on the moon, Mars & beyond depends upon” public support at this very moment in time.
