SpaceX meetings canceled; FAA still accepting comments on launch proposal

Two public meetings scheduled for Thursday by the Federal Aviation Administration to gather input on SpaceX’s plans for Boca Chica/Starbase have been canceled due to a conflict with the National Day of Mourning set for President Jimmy Carter, who died Dec. 29.

The meetings were to have taken place in Port Isabel.

However, two other public meetings will go ahead as scheduled on Tuesday from 1-3 p.m. and 5:30-7 p.m., at Texas Southmost College, Jacob Brown Auditorium, 600 International Blvd., in Brownsville. The FAA has also scheduled a virtual public meeting, to be held Jan. 13, 5:30-7 p.m.

FAA scheduled the meetings to collect public comments on the agency’s Revised Draft Tiered Environmental Assessment (EA) of SpaceX’s proposal to greatly increase the number of launches (and landings) at Boca Chica. The company is seeking FAA approval for up to 25 launches of the combined Starship-Super Heavy from Boca Chica per year, as well as 25 landings each of Starship and Super Heavy separately at Boca Chica.

SpaceX’s seventh suborbital test flight of Starship may happen as soon as Friday, according to a social media post from company founder and CEO Elon Musk, though no date has been officially announced.

According to SpaceX, the upcoming flight will involve a “new generation ship with significant upgrades,” a first attempt at a payload deployment test, using 10 mock Starlink satellites, and a second try at landing the Super Heavy back at the launch pad with the aid of the launch tower’s giant, mechanized arms — dubbed “chopsticks.”

Other improvements to the newest Starship version include a redesigned propulsion system, latest generation heat shield tiles and a complete redesign of the ship’s avionics, or all its electronic systems and components.

Information relevant to the upcoming public meetings and Draft EA can be found at www.faa.gov/space/stakeholder_engagement/spacex_starship.

To register for the Jan. 13 virtual meeting, go to us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6f5su5mtTne_vBr8MqJOLA. The toll-free dial-in number for the virtual meeting is (888) 788-0099. The webinar ID is 879 9253 6128. Pass code is 900729.

Comments on the Revised Draft EA can also be submitted electronically at www.regulations.gov/commenton/FAA-2024-2006-0114, or by postal mail to Amy Hanson, FAA Environmental Specialist, SpaceX EA, c/oICF, 1902 Reston Metro Plaza, Reston, VA 20190. The deadline for written comments is Jan. 17.

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