SpaceX asks FAA to allow hundreds of Starship flights from Texas site
SpaceX has requested FAA permission to conduct as many as 456 Starship launches and 912 landings each year at its Starbase facility in Texas. The current caps are 25 launches and 50 landings annually. The proposed increase would be introduced in stages, beginning with up to 100 launches and 200 landings per year, and supports Elon Musk's stated aim of hourly Starship flights within two to three years.
SpaceX’s request, disclosed in an FAA Notice of Intent dated Oct. 14, 2026, would replace current annual limits of 25 launches and 50 landings at Boca Chica. The higher landing figure reflects that both the Starship V3 upper stage and Super Heavy V3 booster are designed to return separately.
The FAA document outlines a phased approach: Phase 1 allows up to 100 launches and 200 landings yearly at any time; Phase 2 raises the cap to 456 launches, with launches limited to weekdays. Starbase currently has one active tower at Pad 2, while a second is being built at Pad 1.
If approved, the phased increase could bring more frequent noise, traffic, and environmental attention to communities near Starbase, while potentially accelerating SpaceX’s Starship testing, NASA Artemis work, and ambitions for Mars. The space industry and regulators may face pressure to scale oversight and infrastructure. Benefits and burdens would likely be distributed unevenly, with local residents and launch personnel most directly affected.