Elon Musk’s SpaceX has some truly ambitious plans for Florida's Space Coast, and they're raising serious concerns among the residents. The company wants to launch its enormous Starship rocket – a rocket taller than the Statue of Liberty – up to 44 times a year from the Kennedy Space Center.
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But that's just the beginning. According to TechCrunch, SpaceX is also eyeing a second launchpad right next door at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, where they plan to launch Starship an additional 76 times a year. That adds up to 120 launches per year within just a six-mile stretch of the Florida coast.
What's Going On?
SpaceX is pushing forward with plans to make Florida's Space Coast the hub for its Starship rocket launches. Standing 397 feet tall, this rocket is key to Musk's dream of sending humans to the Moon, Mars and beyond. It's the most powerful rocket ever built, with the thrust equivalent to 160 Boeing 787 jets taking off at once.
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Initially, SpaceX aimed to launch up to 44 Starship rockets annually from Kennedy Space Center. But now, they have even bigger plans. SpaceX plans to add another launch site at Space Launch Complex (SLC)-37 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, potentially leading to up to 76 launches per year. This means that within a small area on the Florida coast, SpaceX could launch rockets more than twice a week.
The Problem
While space enthusiasts certainly find this exciting, it's a different reality for the people living in Brevard County. What was once a quiet, sparsely populated area when NASA first launched rockets is now home to over 600,000 residents, a busy cruise industry, and vibrant neighborhoods. The idea of frequent rocket launches raises serious worries for those who live there.
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Residents are worried about the noise and vibrations these launches will bring because of the ship’s 35 thruster engines, which translate into as much as 23 million pounds of force at takeoff, according to WSJ. The power of the Starship rockets is expected to shake homes, rattle windows, and disrupt daily life. The environmental impact is also a major concern, especially for the Indian River Lagoon, a delicate ecosystem home to various wildlife.
Despite these significant concerns, residents find their voices aren't heard as much as they'd like. SpaceX's plans are moving forward with little input from the community, leaving many feeling like they have no say in what's happening in their backyard.
Locals and environmental groups closely observe the situation, hoping someone will eventually take their concerns seriously. For now, though, it looks like the future of Florida's Space Coast will be shaped more by the big ambitions of a tech billionaire than by the desires of the people who live there.
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