On October 14, 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) opened public scoping and said it would prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) for SpaceX’s proposed expansion of Starship–Super Heavy operations at Starbase in Texas. The site’s existing authorization remains up to 25 launches and 50 landings a year; SpaceX’s higher operating limits are proposals under review, not an approved increase. The FAA’s notice begins the environmental review and invites public input.
What SpaceX proposed for Starbase
| Operating status | Launches per year | Landings per year |
| Existing authorization | 25 | 50 |
| Proposed Phase 1 | 100 | 200 |
| Proposed Phase 2 | 456 | 912 |
Phase 1 would allow launches and landings any day and at any time. Under Phase 2, launches could take place at any hour Monday through Friday; the FAA says this mature phase would be implemented within several years. Its proposed 912 annual landings comprise 456 Starship and 456 Super Heavy landings at Boca Chica, regardless of where a mission launches.
The proposed ceilings describe the scale of the request, not a demonstrated flight rate. Reports published October 13 and 14 said Starship had flown three times from Texas in 2026 and that Starbase’s previous annual high was five launches. Those figures describe reported operations, while the FAA’s Phase 2 figure is a proposed ceiling for a mature program.
What the FAA will study
The PEIS will assess aviation emissions and air quality; biological, coastal and water resources; farmland; hazardous materials, solid waste and pollution prevention; historic, archaeological and cultural resources; land use; natural resources and energy supply; noise; socioeconomic effects and children’s health and safety; and visual effects, among other listed resource areas. The FAA is also beginning historic-preservation consultation under Section 106 and consultations with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service on protected species.
The notice identifies the No Action Alternative as the sole alternative to the proposed expansion. The FAA says other sites are not reasonable alternatives because Boca Chica is already approved for the project and has the infrastructure to support its stated purpose. The agency plans to release a draft PEIS for public review later.
How the public can take part
The FAA scheduled two in-person scoping sessions on November 17 at Texas Southmost College’s Jacob Brown Auditorium in Brownsville, from 1:00–3:00 p.m. and 5:30–7:30 p.m. Central Time. On November 18, a virtual meeting is scheduled for 5:30–7:30 p.m. Central Time; registration is required. Two more in-person sessions are scheduled for November 19 at the Port Isabel Event & Cultural Center, also from 1:00–3:00 p.m. and 5:30–7:30 p.m. Central Time. The FAA project page says Spanish-language interpretation is planned for verbal comments and English and Spanish presentations are to be posted by November 10.
Written comments on the scope and content of the PEIS are due November 30 under docket FAA-2026-12808. Comments can be filed through regulations.gov or mailed to FAA Environmental Protection Specialist Amy Hanson at the address in the notice. The FAA says docket submissions will be posted online without changes, including any personal identifying information.
