FAA Releases Draft Environmental Assessment For Increase In Launch Activity

The FAA has prepared a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) to analyze the potential environmental impacts of issuing launch licenses to SpaceX for the operation of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy from Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) Launch Complex 40 (LC-40). The Draft (EA) also analyzes the potential environmental impacts of issuing reentry licenses to SpaceX to conduct Dragon reentry operations.

Space News reports that the missions could include launches into polar orbits and other that would include the use of a new vertical integration tower.

The draft report states that one of the reasons for the assessment is that "SpaceX’s launch manifest includes more annual Falcon launches and Dragon reentries than were considered in previous [environmental] analyses."

SpaceX currently anticipates performing 38 launches in 2020 from central Florida. By 2023, the projection is for as many as 70 launches.

The report projects as many as 10 Dragon spacecraft reentries beginning in 2022. Those launches may carry cargo as well as astronauts.

SpaceX has been performing its launches into polar orbits from Vandenberg AFB in California. Polar launches from Florida would take spacecraft over the Bahamas. That raises issues regarding sonic booms along the Florida coast.

The report is very detailed, and goes into a lot of other topics. You can view the entire document at the FMI link below.

(Image from FAA Draft EA Document)

FMI: www.faa.gov/space/environmental/nepa_docs/media/SpaceX_Falcon_Program_Draft_EA_508.pdf
Source report