5 minute read•Updated 2:19 PM EDT, Wed September 3, 2025
Cape Canaveral, FL – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released its Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and a Mitigated Finding of No Significant Impact/Record of Decision (FONSI/ROD) for SpaceX’s Falcon 9 operations at Space Launch Complex-40 (SLC-40) on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, paving the way for a dramatic expansion in launch cadence and infrastructure on Florida’s Space Coast.
The decision, available on the FAA’s website, authorizes a major increase in Falcon 9 activity at SLC-40, alongside approval for the construction of a new on-site landing zone.
Key Approvals
Under the FAA’s Final EA and FONSI/ROD, SpaceX is now authorized to:
Conduct up to 120 Falcon 9 launches annually from SLC-40, more than doubling the 50 launches previously allowed under a July 2020 EA.
Construct and operate a new landing zone (LZ) directly east of SLC-40.
Land up to 34 Falcon 9 first-stage boosters per year at the new SLC-40 landing pad once operational.
This marks a significant expansion in operational capacity for SpaceX at Cape Canaveral, where SLC-40 has become the workhorse pad for Starlink missions, commercial payloads, and NASA cargo flights to the International Space Station.
Public Review Process
The FAA released the Draft Environmental Assessment on March 14, 2025, followed by a virtual public meeting on May 8, 2025. The public comment period closed on May 15. According to the FAA, all comments were given “equal weight and consideration” in the final decision.
The Department of the Air Force (DAF) participated as a Cooperating Agency, with authority to adopt the FAA’s EA to satisfy its own National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements. The DAF may issue its own decision document later.
Launch Operations and Limits
Under the new approval, SpaceX can now launch day or night, year-round, from SLC-40. Key operational details include:
Static Fire Tests: Up to 40 per year (7 seconds each), conducted 1–3 days before certain launches.
Booster Recovery: SpaceX may land boosters on drone ships or at land-based facilities. Once the new SLC-40 LZ is active, up to 34 boosters per year could land directly on-site. Until then, landings will continue at Landing Zone-1 and Landing Zone-2 at Cape Canaveral.
Expended Boosters: Up to 10 Falcon 9 first stages annually may be intentionally expended over the Atlantic. Boosters break up on reentry and sink without residual propellant.
Trajectory Constraints: Flight paths remain within azimuth ranges analyzed in the 2020 EA; no increase in polar launches is proposed.
New SLC-40 Landing Zone
SpaceX’s approved landing zone will consist of:
A 280-foot-diameter concrete pad surrounded by a 60-foot-wide gravel apron, for a total diameter of 400 feet.
A 30-foot by 30-foot pedestal for post-landing vehicle processing.
A new nitrogen line from the existing SLC-40 metering station to a fluids bay at the LZ.
Approximately 10 acres of leased property.
The facility will be secured in the same way as Landing Zones 1 and 2, with controlled access during operations.
Environmental and Safety Considerations
The FAA determined that with mitigation, SpaceX’s proposed activities would not result in significant environmental impacts. Points considered include:
Wildlife and Habitat: Alternative landing zone sites were dismissed due to impacts on habitats for the Florida scrub-jay and southeastern beach mouse, or safety risks near existing infrastructure.
Marine Landings: Downrange recoveries will continue at least 5 nautical miles offshore. Any landings in Bahamian territorial waters (e.g., Exuma Sound) will require separate environmental approvals by the Bahamas.
Safety Protocols: The FAA, DAF, U.S. Space Launch Delta 45, and the U.S. Coast Guard coordinate on risk mitigation. Falcon 9’s track record — with a 99% success rate across more than 500 missions since 2010 — was cited as evidence of reliability.
Context and Capacity
SLC-40 is one of two major Falcon 9 pads on the Space Coast, alongside LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center, which also supports Falcon Heavy and future Starship missions. SpaceX argued that LC-39A lacks the capacity for more Falcon 9 flights given its multi-vehicle role, reinforcing the need to expand SLC-40’s throughput.
With approval for up to 120 launches annually, SLC-40 alone could support nearly one-third of all global orbital launches in a typical year — underscoring both SpaceX’s dominance and Cape Canaveral’s role as the busiest spaceport in the world.
What’s Next
With FAA approval secured, SpaceX is expected to begin construction of the new SLC-40 landing zone in the near term. Once complete, the facility will consolidate Falcon 9 booster recovery operations and reduce congestion at LZ-1 and LZ-2.
The decision also positions SpaceX to maintain its aggressive launch cadence as it scales the Starlink constellation, delivers for NASA and commercial partners, and supports U.S. national security launches.
As the FAA notes in its decision:
“The Final EA and Mitigated FONSI/ROD represent a balanced approach to ensuring both the protection of the environment and the continued advancement of commercial spaceflight on the Eastern Range.”
Source: Federal Aviation Administration – Final EA and Mitigated FONSI/ROD for SpaceX Falcon 9 Operations at SLC-40
