U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Revokes SpaceX Bid for Starship Expansion in Texas
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has withdrawn SpaceX’s request to expand its launch complexes in Boca Chica, Texas, after the company failed to provide the requested environmental information. Elon Musk’s company was informed about this decision in March. The letter came after he threatened to move operations to Florida if Texas regulators did not grant permission. This was reported by Bloomberg and CNBC.
SpaceX planned to build new infrastructure on 17 acres (68,799 m2) of land, including wetlands and muddy shoals. According to CNBC, the Army Corps is responsible for wetlands that serve as habitats for fish and wildlife in the country. He is obliged to make sure that any activity will not have a significant impact on extinct species living in the land, as well as on drinking water and people in the area. He is also responsible for examining whether it is possible for the construction company to move the work to another location.
In a letter to the company, the military corps listed the information it requires from SpaceX, including how its expansion will affect wetlands. He also asked for data on endangered or endangered species that could be significantly affected by construction, as well as the company’s current knowledge of the presence or absence of historic sites.
While the Army Corps has suspended the company’s application, SpaceX can resume the permitting process if it can provide all the information requested.
The Federal Aviation Administration is also conducting a separate inspection of the facility to determine whether the launch of Starship from Boca Chica will cause safety problems or significant environmental impacts in the area. SpaceX was supposed to receive a message from the FAA in 2021, but since then, the agency has postponed its decision several times: the last scheduled completion date is April 29. Without the permission of the FAA, SpaceX will not be able to launch its huge spacecraft from Boca Chica for its first orbital test flight, which is expected to take place in a few months.
Elon Musk has previously said that if SpaceX fails to obtain a permit in Texas, the company will postpone the launch of starships to Cape Canaveral in Florida.
