BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – SpaceX is intent on bringing Starship to Florida and says it’s on track to conduct more than 100 Falcon 9 launches from the Space Coast this year, according to a blog post.
The company says it’s working to move rocket launches into “airport-like operations” by investing in new infrastructure and sharing data with NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration for more missions and fewer disruptions.
Falcon 9 rockets are currently launching and landing every two days on average from Florida’s Space Coast, “a cadence once dismissed as making it impossible for other launch providers to use the same range,” the post states.
As SpaceX looks to bring Starship launches to Florida, the company said it has analyzed data on explosions and has proposed “clear areas” for launch sites at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
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For Starship and its larger propellant demands, we’re making substantial investments to generate our own propellant by building air separation units and methane liquefaction facilities directly on or adjacent to Starship launch sites. This will ensure that Starship launches do not impact the availability of commodities like propellant for other launch operators. We’re also working to improve core “common” infrastructure, including power generation and transmission, wastewater treatment, and roadways in partnership with NASA, the U.S. Space Force, Space Florida, and the Florida Department of Transportation.
SpaceX
SpaceX said that by making data gathered from years of testing available to the government, it’s confident Starship operations could be done without disruption to other launch operators at KSC or the Cape.
The company adds that it’s capable of getting multiple Falcon 9 rockets launched daily without closing many critical air travel routes around the Space Coast, making the case that it can apply the same approach to Starship.
During Flight 10 from Starbase, FAA reopened all affected airspace within 10 minutes, with some portions reopening within 7 minutes, and there was no meaningful disruption to air traffic due to effective prior coordination. We are confident in this partnership to continue to efficiently integrate these operations into the National Airspace System (NAS).
SpaceX
[WATCH: SpaceX launches Falcon 9 rocket from Florida coast]