Increased number of SpaceX launches gets mixed reactions from locals

BOCA CHICA, Texas (ValleyCentral) — It's been a significant couple of days for Starbase as SpaceX received the green light from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to drastically increase the number of rocket launches on Boca Chica Beach.

The FAA report says more SpaceX launches would not pose a major impact on the environment.

While many are excited, some worry about what could come next.

Andrew Hancock traveled 27 hours from England to see SpaceX.

Hancock is glad the FAA is allowing SpaceX to do more launches.

“Incredible. Absolutely incredible," Hancock said. "It's the future of mankind, and we need to explore the universe, so I think this is good and it is going to be exciting for Texas.”

With more launches permitted, Hancock hopes to one day be back to witness one. However, he hopes SpaceX and environmentalists can find a compromise.

“I think if SpaceX seems to help with the wildlife and look after the wildlife, I think people will be okay with that," Hancock said.

Louis Balderas from LabPadre is also excited about the news. He says the announcement might mean more work to prepare for more launches in a shorter period.

“With permission to launch this many times per year, it gives SpaceX more wiggle room to do any testing on any changes that may happen during their research and development," Balderas said. "It gives them a lot more room to work with.”

Balderas says a launch every two weeks is not likely since SpaceX still has to ensure things go right before lift off.

“A launch permit is only valid as long as flight parameters don't change, or as long as no mission failures occur," Balderas said. "And as each flight, as each successful flight happens, you know, objectives will change. And so I would anticipate, you know, new permits being required."

The FAA report says the environmental assessment concludes that additional launches would have no significant impact on the land, air quality, or marine wildlife.

However, environmentalists like Christopher Basaldu with the South Texas Environmental Justice Network call the announcement premature.

“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," Basaldu said. "That's impossible. So they're lying. So what the FAA needs to do is they need to go all the way back to square one.”

He says some studies have shown the decline of certain marine life on the beach. Balsudu also believes the nearby Rio Grande will be polluted.

“A lot of noise pollution," Basaldu said. "That's not a lot of night pollution, because they try to continue working through the night that SpaceX is going to shut down the road for half of the year.”

SpaceX has not yet announced the date of its next launch.