SpaceX gets environmental approval to launch Mars rocket 

SpaceX just got its environmental approval to launch a new rocket to Mars from South Texas as long as they make some minor adjustments, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Monday. 

The FAA concluded that SpaceX’s plans for future launches have “no significant” impact on the regions near Brownsville, Texas, and will not require the company to conduct a comprehensive environmental impact study. 

However, the FAA is asking the space company to carry out 75 actions to help minimize the impact on the surrounding areas in order to get the launch license.

The actions include monitoring vegetation and wildlife by a biologist, coordinating with state and federal agencies to remove debris from sensitive habitats, and adjusting the lighting to reduce the impact on wildlife. Other actions involve reducing noise levels, protecting water resources, and restricting the closure of a nearby highway.

The spaceship company also has to contribute to local education and wildlife preservation efforts, including donating $5,000 to organizations that protect engendered animals and preparing a historical report of the Mexican War and Civil War battles that happened in the area. 

SpaceX plans to begin test flights for its vehicle Starship, which aims to be the most powerful rocket up to date. The stainless steel rocket will stand nearly 400 feet high and plans to carry cargo and people to outer space.

Elon Musk, founder and chief executive of SpaceX, claims that a rocket will be entirely reusable for the first time in history.

In May 2021, SpaceX successfully launched and landed its new spaceship. Musk plans to eventually use Starships to conduct trips to Mars and ferry astronauts to the moon’s surface. 

One step closer to the first orbital flight test of Starship https://t.co/MEcQ6gST6Q pic.twitter.com/jxqEsM62gc

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 13, 2022

SpaceX will launch the rocket from its base in Boca Chica, Texas, an area surrounded by wetlands and endangered animals, including ocelots and a species of sea turtles. 

Environmental groups and members of the community worry that a string of spaceship launches from the site will have devastating effects on the ecosystem of the area. 

“For them to say there is no significant impact is ludicrous,” said Jim Chapman, a board member of Save RGV, a nonprofit environmental advocacy group. “The impacts are simply too large. We still feel that way. The FAA. should have recognized that.”