Photo: Charles Boyer
Things are hopping over at Kennedy Space Center. The Artemis II crew is preparing for humanity’s first crewed mission around the Moon in over 50 years, and Crew-12 awaits its turn to rotate astronauts aboard the International Space Station. That’s keeping NASA and its contracting partners working hard and tightly focused on the missions.
At the same time, the Federal Aviation Administration is on the verge of completing its environmental review of SpaceX’s plan to launch Starship from Launch Complex 39A.
The FAA’s first estimated completion date for the Final Environmental Impact Statement is January 30, 2026 — today — according to the federal permitting dashboard. While it may not be released today, it does indicate that the document and the Record of Decision will be released soon.
What’s At Stake
SpaceX could receive regulatory clearance to operate the world’s most powerful rocket from the same complex where Apollo 11 and dozens of Space Shuttle missions got their starts.
None of those historic missions ever concluded at LC-39A, however, and that’s part of what SpaceX is planning to do fairly regularly at KSC: launching Starship Heavy and landing Starship missions there after their job in space has been completed. Their proposal kicked off the process whose middle act could conclude any day now.
Where We Are In The Process
| Milestone | Date | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notice of Intent Published FAA |
May 10, 2024 | Complete | FAA initiated the EIS process via Federal Register publication |
| Public Scoping Period FAA |
May–June 2024 | Complete | Public input gathered on scope of environmental review; ended June 24, 2024 |
| Draft EIS Released FAA |
August 4, 2025 | Complete | Draft EIS published for up to 44 Starship launches and 44 landings per year |
| Draft EIS Public Comment Period FAA |
Aug 4–Sept 29, 2025 | Complete | Public hearings held at KSC (Aug 26), Cape Canaveral (Aug 28), and virtually (Sept 3) |
| Final EIS Publication FAA |
Q1 2026 (expected) | Pending | FAA will address all public comments and issue the Final EIS |
| Record of Decision (ROD) FAA |
~Jan 30, 2026 (est.) | Pending | FAA issues ROD with decision, mitigations, and monitoring requirements
Per permits.performance.gov estimated completion date
|
| Vehicle Operator License Issuance FAA |
After ROD | Upcoming | New or modified commercial launch license for Starship-Super Heavy operations at LC-39A |
| Infrastructure Completion SpaceX |
Mid-2026 (projected) | Upcoming | Launch mount (installed Nov 2025), tank farm, deluge system, chopstick upgrades, service structure outfitting |
| First Starship Launch from LC-39A SpaceX |
2026 (targeted) | Upcoming | Initial vehicles will be transported from Starbase, Texas via barge |
|
Lead Agency: FAA |
Cooperating Agencies: NASA, Dept. of the Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, National Park Service Source: FAA Stakeholder Engagement Portal, Federal Register, permits.performance.gov | Updated: January 2026 |
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The FAA Isn’t NASA Though…
At Kennedy Space Center, NASA and the FAA have distinct roles. NASA manages the spaceport and leases LC-39A to SpaceX. On the other hand, the FAA has authority over commercial launch licensing, and, as the responsible agency, it must complete an independent environmental review before SpaceX can launch or land Starship from the site.
“While the 2019 Environmental Assessment prepared by NASA provides an analytical baseline, the environmental impacts of these proposed changes to Starship-Super Heavy LC-39A development and operations will be specifically analyzed in this EIS,” the FAA noted in its project documentation.
The scope has changed dramatically since that 2019 assessment. SpaceX now proposes up to 44 Starship launches per year — nearly double the original 24 — along with booster catches at the pad using the company’s signature “chopstick” tower arms, a capability that didn’t exist when NASA issued its original Finding of No Significant Impact.
The FAA released its Draft EIS on August 4, 2025, triggering a public comment period that closed on September 29. The agency held public hearings at Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, and online, collecting feedback that must be addressed in the Final EIS before a Record of Decision can be issued.
Now the Final Environmental Impact Statement is on deck, and that could come out any day.
Meanwhile, Back At The Rocket Ranch…
SpaceX hasn’t sat on its hands waiting for regulatory approval. The company has transformed LC-39A over the past year, pivoting from a Starship tower not being worked on to an active construction site steadily advancing toward operational status.
The most visible progress came in November 2025, when SpaceX transported a new orbital launch mount from its Roberts Road manufacturing facility to the pad. The original mount design was scrapped earlier in 2025 in favor of hardware matching the company’s latest configuration at Starbase in Texas.
Other work continues as well — construction of a tank farm to store propellants, outfitting the service structure and more. Clearly, SpaceX expects good news in the EIS and ROD, and given that Starship is an integral part of Project Artemis, it’s fair to say that those two legal hurdles are effectively fait accompli, and that when they are released, they will be positive for this ongoing project.
Author: Charles Boyer
NASA kid from Cocoa Beach, FL, born of Project Apollo parents and family. I’m a writer and photographer sharing the story of spaceflight from the Eastern Range here in Florida.
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