SpaceX Expands Launch Capabilities with Starship Pad Upgrade

The U.S. Air Force has approved SpaceX's plans to redevelop a historic launch pad at Cape Canaveral, specifically at Space Launch Complex 37. This approval is a major step for SpaceX as it enhances its launch capabilities for the Starship program, which is set to facilitate ambitious missions, including crewed flights to the Moon and Mars.

The decision follows a comprehensive two-year approval process that included a review of the Environmental Impact Statement, which was published on the Air Force's website. The Space Force will execute a property agreement for the site that primarily supports national security missions while also allowing for civil missions.

SpaceX is planning to build two Starship launch towers at SLC-37, alongside a single tower at the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39-A, which is undergoing its own environmental review by the Federal Aviation Administration.

In total, with three launch pads in Florida, SpaceX aims to position Starship as a key player in supporting America's national security and Artemis goals. According to the Air Force's EIS for the Canaveral site, SpaceX could conduct up to 76 launches and 152 landings annually once a supplemental analysis of airspace impacts is completed.

Space Launch Delta 45 officials indicate that the first Starship launches could occur as early as summer 2026 from the Kennedy Space Center, provided that all necessary approvals are secured. This ambitious expansion comes amid concerns regarding the potential impact of Starship operations on air traffic, with estimates suggesting that up to 12,000 commercial flights could be delayed each year due to the massive rocket's operations.

The Starship and Super Heavy rocket, towering over 400 feet tall and producing nearly 17 million pounds of thrust, is designed for reusable operations, including returning to the launch site for recovery using a system of swiveling 'chopsticks' to capture the boosters.

The Air Force's approval has been seen as a critical move for SpaceX, as it prepares for a new era of space travel characterized by unprecedented frequency and scale of launches.