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                NEPA Documents
    

    
    
        
          Environmental Documents in Progress and Completed
	Complete: Environmental Assessment for Reentry, Landing, and Recovery Operations of a Varda Space Industries Capsule within Utah Test and Training Range South or Northern Dugway Proving Ground, Utah
		Complete: Environmental Assessment for SpaceX Launch Licenses at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
		Complete: Space Coast Air and Spaceport Environmental Assessment
		Final: Spaceport Camden Environmental Impact Statement
	FAA Launch Site Operator License
	FAA Launch Operator License
	Experimental PermitsEnvironmental Documents in Progress and Completed

Complete: Environmental Assessment for Reentry, Landing, and Recovery Operations of a Varda Space Industries Capsule within Utah Test and Training Range South or Northern Dugway Proving Ground, Utah

The FAA has released the Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact/Record of Decision for the Reentry, Landing, and Recovery Operations of a Varda Space Industries Capsule within Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR) South or Northern Dugway Proving Ground (DPG), Utah (Final EA and FONSI/ROD) An electronic version of the Final EA and FONSI/ROD is available on this website for download.

Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision for Reentry, Landing and Recovery Operations of a Varda Space CapsuleUnder the Proposed Action addressed in the Environmental Assessment (EA), FAA would

Issue a Vehicle Operator License to Varda for capsule RLR operations at UTTR South or Northern DPG for a single reentry mission.The FAA released the Draft Environmental Assessment for the Reentry, Landing, and Recovery (RLR) Operations of a Varda Space Industries, Inc. (Varda) Capsule within Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR) South or Northern Dugway Proving Ground (DPG), Utah (Draft EA) for public review and comment on March 29, 2023. The public comment period closed on April 27, 2023.

Complete: Environmental Assessment for SpaceX Launch Licenses at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), Florida

The FAA is announcing the availability of the Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for the SpaceX Launch Licenses at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), Florida (Final EA and FONSI). The electronic version of the Final EA and FONSI is available on this website for download.

Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for SpaceX Falcon Launches at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station July 2020 (PDF)
	Falcon Program EA Appendices July 2020 (PDF, 68.1 MB)Under the Proposed Action addressed in the Environmental Assessment (EA), FAA would:

Issue launch licenses to SpaceX for the Falcon 9 and the Falcon Heavy from Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) Launch Complex 40 (LC-40).
	Issue reentry licenses to SpaceX for the Dragon vehicle.The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prepared a Draft Environmental Assessment for SpaceX Falcon Launches at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) (Draft EA) for public review. SpaceX is applying to FAA for launch licenses to launch the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy from KSC Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) and CCAFS Launch Complex 40 (LC-40). SpaceX is also appled to FAA for reentry licenses for Dragon reentry operations. Public comments on the Draft EA were due by March 20, 2020.

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Complete: Space Coast Air and Spaceport Environmental Assessment

The FAA is announcing the availability of the Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority (TCAA) Launch Site Operator License (Final EA and FONSI). An electronic version of the Final EA and FONSI is available on this website for download.

Final Environmental Assessment and FONSI — Space Coast Regional
	Airport (PDF)
	Final Environmental Assessment Appendices A & C-I — Space Coast Regional Airport (PDF)TCAA applied for a launch site operator license to operate a commercial space launch site at the Space Coast Regional Airport (TIX), in Brevard County, Florida. TCAA would offer the site to one or more commercial launch operators for horizontal reusable launch vehicles (RLVs). Under the Proposed Action addressed in this EA, the FAA would:

Issue a Launch Site Operator License to TCAA for the operation of a commercial space launch site at TIX and
	Unconditionally approve the updated Airport Layout Plan (ALP) that shows the designation of the launch site boundary and existing and planned launch site infrastructure.The FAA issues separate licenses for the operation of launch vehicles. Additional environmental analysis will be required for future vehicle operators. When a launch operator applies to the FAA for a license to operate at TIX, the FAA will develop a separate EA that will include a public notification and public review period.

The FAA released the Draft EA for public comment on December 19, 2019. A public meeting was held on January 8, 2020. The comment period ended January 17, 2020. As a result of the comments received, the FAA made minor revisions to the EA. Appendix I includes copies of the comments received and a summary of FAA's responses.

Back to top

FAA Launch Site Operator License

Adoption of the Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision for Proposed Issuance of a Vehicle Operator License to Stratolaunch for Test and Operations of the Stratolaunch Talon-A Hypersonic Research Testbed Vehicle, Vandenberg, California, November 2023
	Adoption of the Supplemental Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision for Proposed Modification of a Vehicle Operator License for SpaceX Falcon 9 Cadence Increase, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California and Offshore Landing Locations, June 2023
	Adoption of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Pacific Spaceport Complex Alaska Launch Site Operator License
	Adoption of the Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Space Florida Launch Site Operator License and Vehicle Operator Licenses at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Space Launch Complex 20, June 2021 (PDF)
	Space Florida Shuttle Landing Facility Environmental Assessment
	Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Launches Involving Radioisotope Heater Units (PEA), which analyzed the potential environmental impacts of radioisotope heater units (RHUs) in spacecraft launched from Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) (PDF)
	Front Range Airport Programmatic Environmental Assessment (2018)
	Kodiak Launch Complex Launch Pad 3 Environmental Assessment (2015)
	Final Environmental Assessment, Finding of No Significant Impact, and Record of Decision for the Houston Spaceport, City of Houston, Harris County, Texas (Volume I — 2015) (PDF)
	Final Environmental Assessment, Finding of No Significant Impact, and Record of Decision for the Houston Spaceport, City of Houston, Harris County, Texas (Volume II — 2015) (PDF)
	FAA's Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Midland International Air and Space Port, September 2014 (PDF)Back to top

FAA Launch Operator License

Adoption of the Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Terran 1 Space Launch Program Operations at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, September 2021 (PDF)
	Adoption of the Supplemental Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact For Boeing Starliner Reentry and Recovery at the U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range, December 2020 (PDF)
	Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Issuing a Launch Operator License to Virgin Orbit, LLC for LaunchOne Operations from Anderson Air Force Base, Guam August 2021 (PDF)
	Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Issuing Firefly Aerospace a Launch License for the Alpha Launch Vehicle at Space Launch Complex 2 West, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Vandenberg, CA, May 2020 (PDF)
	Finding of No Significant Impact For Boeing Starliner Reentry and Recovery at the U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range, Feb 2020 (PDF)
	Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Issuing SpaceX a Launch License for an In-flight Dragon Abort Test, Kennedy Space Center, Brevard County, Florida, August 2019 (PDF)
	Draft Environmental Assessment for Issuing SpaceX a Launch License for an In-flight Dragon Abort Test, Kennedy Space Center, Brevard County, Florida, November 2018 (PDF, 36.9 MB)
	Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Issuing a Reentry License to SpaceX for Landing the Dragon Spacecraft in the Gulf of Mexico, August 2018 (PDF, 15.5 MB)
	Finding of No Significant Impact for Boost-back and Landing of Falcon Heavy Boosters at Landing Zone-1, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, November 2017 (PDF)
	Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Issuing a License to LauncherOne, LLC for LauncherOne Launches at the Mojave Air and Space Port, Kern County, California, July 2017 (PDF)
	Finding of No Significant Impact For Blue Origin's Orbital Launch Site at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, April 13, 2017 (PDF)
	Finding of No Significant Impact for Boost-back and Landing of the Falcon 9 Full Thrust First Stage at Iridium Landing Area, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California and Offshore Landing Contingency Option, November 30, 2016 (PDF)
	Finding of No Significant Impact for The Orbital/Sub-Orbital Program, November 10, 2016 (PDF)
	Finding of No Significant Impact for Multi-Use of Launch Complex 39A and 39B, John F Kennedy Space Center, FL, November 7, 2016 (PDF)
	Finding of No Significant Impact for Boost-back and Landing of the Falcon 9 Full Thrust First Stage at SLC-4 West at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California and Offshore Landing Contingency Option 2016 (PDF)
	Finding of No Significant Impact for Issuing or Modifying Launch Licenses for Orbital Sciences ATK Antares 200 Launch Vehicle at Wallops Flight Facility, March 9, 2016 (PDF)
	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Opinion to Accompany the SEA 2015 (PDF)
	NASA Final Supplemental Environmental Assessment for the Antares 200 Configuration Expendable Launch Vehicle at Wallops Flight Facility 2015 (PDF)
	Finding of No Significant Impact for Issuing or Modifying Launch Licenses for Space Exploration Technologies Corp. Falcon Launch Vehicle Landings at Landing Complex-1 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, December 4, 2015 (PDF)
	SpaceX Texas Launch Site Final Environmental Impact Statement
	Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision for Issuing a Launch License to Space Exploration Technologies Corp. for the Crew Dragon Pad Abort Test at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, March 5, 2014 (PDF)Back to top

Experimental Permits

FAA's Final Environmental Assessment (EA) for Issuing an Experimental Permit to SpaceX for Operation of the DragonFly Vehicle at the McGregor Test Site, Texas, August 2014 (PDF)
	Final Supplemental Environmental Assessment for the Blue Origin West Texas Launch Site and Finding of No Significant Impact, February 2014 (PDF)
	Final Environmental Assessment for the Launch and Reentry of SpaceShipTwo Reusable Suborbital Rockets at the Mojave Air and Space Port and Finding of No Significant Impact (PDF)Back to top
              
      
        

          Last updated: Wednesday, February 14, 2024 U.S. Department of Transportation

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