The FAA has authorized up to 120 Falcon 9 launches annually from Florida’s SLC-40 and is reviewing SpaceX’s proposal for Starship launches at KSC.

The FAA has authorized a major expansion of Falcon 9 launches from that site as it gathers public feedback on plans for Starship missions from another Florida launch pad. A record of decision completing an environmental assessment for a request to increase the number of Falcon 9 launches from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station was released by the FAA on September 3. Due to the ruling, SpaceX is now able to launch 120 times a year from the pad instead of the prior cap of 50.

According to the FAA's study, a more thorough and drawn-out environmental impact review was not necessary. It did provide several measures SpaceX should implement to mitigate its environmental footprint, including off-road driving sparingly to avoid the disappearance of a local endangered species of snakes and keeping the use of artificial lighting as minimal as possible.

Also, the decision allows SpaceX to build a Falcon 9 booster landing field on SLC-40 that is near the launch site and conduct up to 34 landings per year. This phase was a part of the effort to co-locate the launch and landing facilities at the Cape: SpaceX launched Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy boosters at Launch Complex 13 using two pads. The FAA's ruling was made shortly after SpaceX surpassed the SLC-40's annual launch cap of 50. On September 3, the business launched for the 52nd time from the pad.