Starship’s Giant Leap: SpaceX Clears Environmental Hurdles Amid Noise and Emissions Concerns

The United States Air Force (DAF) has concluded a multi-month environmental assessment and officially deemed SpaceX’s project to repurpose the SLC-37 site at Cape Canaveral for Starship–Super Heavy launches and landings as acceptable. The final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) effectively paves the way for the construction of a new complex and regular Starship missions. The approved project outlines extremely high intensity: up to 76 launches and up to 152 landings per year-one for each stage. To achieve this, the SLC-37 site will be entirely rebuilt: featuring two new launch pads, two integration towers approximately 180 meters tall, methane and oxygen storage systems, and new transport infrastructure. Simultaneously, the network of roads for rocket component delivery will be expanded.

DAF selected SLC-37 as the “preferred alternative” after considering all possible sites at Canaveral and in California. The site proved optimal due to its existing infrastructure and distance from residential areas. Several other sites were rejected: for example, LC-39A is occupied with Falcon crewed missions, LC-49 is too close to public areas, Vandenberg sites are unsuitable for eastern launch trajectories, and Starbase in Texas is not part of the U.S. Space Force-an essential requirement for national security missions.

Noise and Emissions Concerns

However, the project’s approval comes with two critical caveats. The first is significant noise impact. Calculations showed that sonic booms from Starship launches and landings will exceed the 60 dB threshold in nearby communities. Experts acknowledge: the noise will be noticeable to residents, and the cumulative effect of frequent operations will be significant. SpaceX will need to deploy maximum noise suppression systems and warn residents in advance about loud events.

The second is nitrogen oxides emissions. A forecast of 570 tons of NOx per year exceeds allowable values for DAF projects. No formal prohibition followed, but an “adaptive management” regime has been instituted for this parameter: agencies will monitor actual emissions, and if necessary, SpaceX will be required to adjust the frequency of operations or implement additional measures.

Ongoing Mitigation Efforts

According to recent developments, SpaceX has announced that they are investing in innovative sound dampening technologies to address noise issues more effectively. Furthermore, there have been collaborative discussions with environmental agencies to explore advanced emission reduction technologies, aiming to cut the projected NOx outputs. The company is actively working on enhancing its communication strategies with local communities to better manage expectations and reduce the noise impact perception.

For other parameters, the project is acceptable provided mitigation measures are implemented. These involve protecting rare species, including the Southeastern Beach Mouse, Florida Scrub-Jay, and sea turtles; relocating animals from the construction area; controlling lighting during turtle nesting; and monitoring historical sites that could be damaged from sonic booms.

A separate block of the assessment concerned interactions with tribal governments of indigenous peoples. As required by national legislation, projects of this scale include consultations with tribes that have cultural or historical ties to the Cape Canaveral area. The final document notes that consultations have taken place, and comments were incorporated into the Programmatic Agreement that controls heritage protection. Currently, there are no obstacles.

Economic and Community Impact

Despite the scale of the projects, the EIS has not identified significant risks to infrastructure, navigation, or public safety. The creation of approximately 450 new jobs has been attributed to positive socio-economic impacts, and increased road and energy system loads are deemed controllable.

The final conclusion in the EIS: the project is permitted for implementation as it aligns with the interests of the United States in space infrastructure and ensuring guaranteed access to space for national security payloads. Real operations for Starship at SLC-37 will begin after obtaining an FAA launch license-a stage SpaceX has yet to complete.