SpaceX got a major boost to its spacecraft operations at Cape Canaveral in Florida after the Department of the Air Force (DAF) gave the company the green light to develop Space Launch Complex-37 (SLC-37).
Preparatory construction work on the site began earlier this year, but approval from DAF means SpaceX can now move on to serious work on building a launch pad for its mighty Starship rocket.
The green light came after a thorough environmental review that focused on the impact of Starship launches on nearby wildlife, which also included a safety analysis.
SpaceX is developing several Starship launch facilities on Florida's Space Coast, including a site at Launch Complex-39A (LC-39A), where construction has also begun. The goal is to conduct up to 76 Starship launches annually from SLC-37 and up to 44 launches annually from LC-39A, with the first full slate of launches beginning next year or 2027, depending on regulatory approvals and infrastructure readiness.
SpaceX also wants to repurpose Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) for Starship flights. The site is currently used primarily for launches of Falcon 9, SpaceX's production rocket.
“With three launch sites in Florida, Starship will be ready to support America's national security and Artemis objectives as the world's premier spaceport continues to evolve to enable airport-like operations,” SpaceX stated in a post on X, citing its desire to reduce relaunch times for its reusable rockets.
So far, SpaceX has conducted all 11 of its Starship launches from its Starbase facility in south Texas. The company is currently building a new launch pad for its next-generation Starship rocket and will also restore the original site to give it five Starship launch pads in two states.
When fully operational, Starship, the most powerful rocket ever flown, will be used to fly crew and cargo to the Moon and possibly Mars. there is still a lot of work to be done to prepare the rocket.
