SpaceX gets FAA permission for fivefold increase in Starship launches from Texas

The Super Heavy booster returns to its launch pad after the SpaceX Starship continued to space after it was launched on its eighth test at the company's Boca Chica launch pad in Brownsville, Texas, U.S., March 6, 2025. SpaceX has been granted permission by the Federal Aviation Administration to launch and land its massive Starship rockets and Super Heavy boosters up to 25 times per year from the company's Starbase spaceport in Texas. The aerospace and defense contractor run by Elon Musk was previously restricted to five Starship launches per year from the site. While SpaceX submitted the proposal to increase its launch cadence on the Texas Gulf Coast during the Biden administration, a final environmental assessment was just announced on Tuesday, more than three months into President Donald Trump's term. Musk has been a central figure in President Trump's second administration, leading an effort to shrink the federal government and regulatory agencies, including those that oversee hi ... Read full article.