SpaceX wants 456 launches per year
October 14, 2026

By Chris Forrester



SpaceX is requesting permission for up to 456 Starship launches and 912 landings per year from its existing Starbase facility at Boca Chica, Texas. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), on October 12th, invited public consultation and details of potential environmental impacts on the scheme with a ‘Notice of Intent’ and signalling that it is likely to approve the scheme.

The plan would allow more than one Starship launch per day on average, a significant expansion from the 25 annual launches previously reviewed by the FAA.


The FAA said: “Starship- Super Heavy is composed of two stages: Super Heavy is the first stage (or booster), and Starship is the second stage. SpaceX proposes to increase Starship-Super Heavy launch, as well as Super Heavy and Starship landing operations at the Boca Chica Launch Site at Starbase, Texas. In addition, SpaceX proposes to expand Starship landing and expenditure locations to support the evolving needs of the Starship programme and broader space exploration objectives.”

The 912 landings account for separate returns of the Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage. This would equate to 1.7 launches and 3.5 landings per day in the second phase of the plan.

The SpaceX plan is split into two phases. Phase 1 covers up to 100 launches and 200 landings and flexibility on the “any day or time during the week”. Phase 2 covers the full number of launches and landings but during Monday-Friday only. The FAA adds that the Super Heavy booster would either land back at the launch site, soft water land in the Gulf of America, or be intentionally expended during flight.

If approved and achieved, the proposed flight rate would mark a major step toward SpaceX’s goal of making Starship a rapidly reusable launch system capable of supporting large-scale satellite deployment, lunar missions and eventually Mars transportation.

As part of the public consultation the FAA will hold four public meetings (starting on November 17th) and one virtual meeting.