BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – As the FAA proposes to close the beach when the rocket powerful enough to carry humans to the moon and Mars is ready to launch from Florida, a series of public meetings is getting underway this week, which are expected to be attended by some opposed to the idea.
The proposal includes 60 “closure days” in a year.
They include some half days and some full days without access to Playalinda Beach at the Canaveral National Seashore.
It’s been two years since SpaceX started test launches, and maybe in the next two years, Starship might start launching from Florida’s Space Coast, but Rick Hall told Brevard County Community Correspondent James Sparvero he doesn’t want to see the beach shut down for two months a year.
“I wouldn’t like that at all,” Hall said. “I’ve lived here all my life. I was here before this park was here. I was here when we rode dune buggies here.”
Closing the seashore in the interest of public safety is nothing new.
The seashore was closed during the Artemis I launch in 2022 and at times during the space shuttle program, as well.
Dr. Ken Kremer, editor of Spaceupclose.com, said people are concerned about the frequency of Starship launches.
“Before, we’re talking about a couple of days,” Kremer said. “Now, they’re talking about two months of closures, and that’s kind of under a best-case scenario.”
The 60 days do not factor in bad weather and scrubs.
“We want rockets, but we want to be mindful of the local people and the local economy,” Kremer said.
Kremer said he will attend one of the public meetings scheduled this week about the proposal.
“I hope there’s a big turnout,” he said. “It does impact the people here and the businesses. It’s not just the tourists.”
Meetings begin Tuesday, Aug. 26 at the Astronauts Memorial Foundation Center for Space Education at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex from 1-3 p.m. and 6-8 p.m.
Meetings will continue Thursday, Aug. 28 at the Radisson hotel in Cape Canaveral between 1-3 p.m. and 6-8 p.m.
There will also be a virtual meeting on Sept. 3 between 6-8 p.m.
Participants can call in toll-free at 888-788-0099.
The webinar ID is 892 9206 9685, and the passcode is 095859.
Opponents of the proposal are also signing an online petition.