On November 20, 2025, the U.S. Air Force certified the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for up to 76 Starship-Super Heavy launches, landings, and engine tests each year at Space Launch Complex-37. This will be re-developed and provide extra SpaceX operations along with Texas and at Kennedy Space Center. Construction may start soon, pending FAA licenses for flights.
The EIS approves construction and operations supporting up to 76 Starship-Super Heavy launches per year from SLC-37, along with up to 76 static-fire tests each for Starship and Super Heavy, and 76 landings each for boosters and upper stages. The approval clears a major regulatory hurdle, enabling SpaceX to proceed with demolition of legacy Delta IV infrastructure and full site redevelopment. the demolition work already started.
This is in addition to the ongoing FAA EIS for up to 44 Starship launches per year from nearby Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center, potentially totaling ~120 Starship launches annually from Florida’s Space Coast once both sites are operational. A Record of Decision (ROD) from the DAF is expected soon (likely Q1 2026), followed by FAA launch licensing. SpaceX must still finalize airspace integration and mitigations for environmental impacts like noise and wildlife.
The required upgrades for Starship:
two launch towers,
propellant farms (methane/LOX liquefaction),
deluge systems,
water towers, and
landing zones.
Demolition of existing structures began in mid-2025, and construction can now accelerate post-EIS.
Initial operational capability (first launch) is projected for mid-to-late 2027 or late 2026 if build operations were accelerated.
SpaceX built the LC-39A’s Starship upgrades in about ~12 months.
SpaceX’s $1.8B Space Coast investments include a new Starship factory. First Florida Starship launches will likely occur from LC-39A in late 2026, with SLC-37 as a high-cadence follow-on site for national security and commercial missions.
How Starship Could Achieve More Launches
For 200+/year, SpaceX must parallelize across technical, operational, and regulatory fronts.
They need to have 20+ reuse flights per booster and ship and master tower catches for both. Inspections and turnarounds need to be less than 2-3 days so that each booster could fly multiple times per day and ships could from once to twice per week.
SpaceX needs 9 pads or more (SLC-37’s two pads + potential LC-49 at KSC, SLC-6 Vandenberg adaptation). Add orbital depots for refueling. Reduce the tanker flights for moon and Mars missions to less than ten per flight.
Raptor Gigafactory output needs to get to over 1,000 Raptors/year by 2028.
A version 4 Starship could have enen more engines and thrust and payload.
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
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