NASA (labels by Ars Technica)
United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin express concern over SpaceX’s plan to debut its massive Starship rocket from Florida.
ULA and Blue Origin recently submitted paperwork to the Federal Aviation Administration, expressing concerns over the potential impact of Starship launch operations on their own activities along Florida’s Space Coast. Blue Origin, owned by Jeff Bezos, has petitioned the US government to consider imposing caps on the number of Starship launchings, landings, test-firings, and other operational activities, as well as restricting SpaceX’s activities to specific times and events only?
Elon Musk, SpaceX’s founder and CEO, characterized Blue Origin’s submission to the FAA as an “obviously disingenuous response.” It’s uncool for them to persistently try to hinder SpaceX’s advancements through legal means. Let’s address this third instance first.
The FAA and SpaceX are preparing an environmental impact assessment for launches and landings of the Heavy booster and Starship rocket at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A, concurrent with the US Space Force working alongside SpaceX on a similar environmental assessment for Starship flights from Cape Canaveral Air Power Station.
Only once these milestones are achieved, and specifically at that moment, will SpaceX receive clearance to launch Starship from Florida. As SpaceX continues to pioneer new frontiers in space exploration, it is essential that the company also establishes robust launch infrastructure at each site, a process that will likely require several years of meticulous planning and execution. The project is already in progress at Launch Site 39A.
Gigantic space booster leaves an enormous imprint on the landscape.
The Federal Aviation Administration should carefully consider the potential environmental impact of SpaceX’s frequent reusable Starship launches, which could total up to 120 per year, according to industry rivals United Launch Alliance (ULA) and Blue Origin. SpaceX plans to finalize its launch schedule by year’s end, potentially incorporating it into draft environmental assessments subject to public comment.
SpaceX is poised to deploy a trifecta of space endeavors from its Florida-based launch facilities: launching Starlink satellites, accommodating commercial payload missions, and supporting NASA’s ambitious Artemis program aimed at returning humans to the lunar surface. Developing a human-rated lunar lander model of Starship poses numerous schedule challenges for SpaceX, including getting a launch pad up and running in Florida.
The potential environmental impact of Starship-Tremendous Heavy’s launches and landings “is expected to be greater than that of any other current launch system operating at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) or Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS),” Blue Origin stated. Currently configured as the most powerful rocket in history, Starship is set to be outdone by an even larger version standing at an impressive 492 feet tall and capable of carrying almost 15 million pounds of propellant. The heavier-lift configuration of this spacecraft variant, designed for interplanetary missions, has a potential launch site at Cape Canaveral.
Tory Bruno, CEO of United Launch Alliance (ULA), noted that the massive rocket is “really, very giant” and continues to grow in size. Given the limited context, I will assume you want me to improve the text in a way that maintains its original meaning while refining the language and grammar. Here’s my revised attempt:
“The necessary propellant quantity demands the establishment of an evacuation zone whenever the system is fueled, necessitating the coordination of diverse services from multiple individuals.” Weekly launches have been emitting harmful noise levels that reverberate deep into the city. “The concept of The Cape shouldn’t be limited to a single entity.”
At SpaceX’s privately owned Starbase launch facility in South Texas, a 1.5-mile-wide evacuation zone has been established to ensure public safety during the fuelling process of Starship and Heavy, which requires the loading of methane and liquid oxygen propellants. During a precise launch, the designated recovery point lies significantly farther away, extending beyond three miles (approximately five kilometers) from the pad.
“The Cape’s launch capability would significantly deteriorate if multiple suppliers were forced to halt operations unexpectedly, particularly during fueling of a vehicle,”
Although we lack information on the radii of Starship’s keep-out zones in Florida, it is noteworthy that Blue Origin cautioned that the impact of Starship operations in the state “could also be even larger than at Starbase,” possibly due to the increased size and potential launch capacity of the rockets planned for Cape Canaveral. If that’s the case, neighbouring launch pads would need to be cleared of all personnel and equipment during Starship operations.
Given the proximity of ULA’s launch facilities to the Atlantic Ocean, a major concern for the company is likely the potential impact of oceanic weather patterns on their operations, rather than vice versa. The launchpad for the Vulcan and Atlas V rockets is situated approximately 1.4 miles (2.2 kilometers) away from Launch Complex 39A, a strategic position that enables efficient operations. If SpaceX’s proposal for up to 44 launches from LC-39A is approved, it will result in significant airspace and facility closures, causing acoustic disturbances that may be felt at nearby operational sites, as well as potentially generating particles, particulate matter, and property damage.
The launch company ULA has warned that certain hazards could impede its ability to meet its contractual obligations to deploy vital national security satellites for the US military.
“As the largest rocket currently in operation, a mishap would result in potentially devastating consequences, whereas routine launches would yield a cumulative impact on structures, launch vehicles’ hardware, and critical support equipment.”
