SpaceX is seeking approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to expand its launches at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, increasing the number of annual missions from 50 to 120. According to a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) released by the FAA on March 14, the proposal includes both an increased launch frequency and the construction of a new landing zone.
If approved, SpaceX would be permitted to conduct up to 120 Falcon 9 launches per year from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40), an increase of 70 missions from the previously analyzed limit of 50. Additionally, the company is proposing the construction and operation of a first-stage booster landing zone at SLC-40, which would allow for up to 34 first-stage landings annually.
To move forward with the expansion, SpaceX is requesting the FAA to issue a license modification that would permit the increased launch activity, authorize the new landing zone, and approve related airspace closures for launch and landing operations.
If granted, the expansion would significantly boost launch activity at Cape Canaveral, further cementing the site’s role as a global hub for commercial spaceflight. SpaceX has steadily increased its launch cadence in recent years to support satellite deployments, crewed space missions, and national security operations.
On March 12, SpaceX successfully launched the Crew-10 mission from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7:48 p.m. EST. The mission’s primary objective is to transport four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) and facilitate the return of two NASA astronauts, Suni Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore, who have been aboard the ISS since June 2024 due to technical issues with their original return vehicle.
