← Back to the board
Issue file · activeTracking since Oct 21 · 33 articles · 24 outlets
SpaceX catches Starship upper stage at Starbase as FAA reviews higher launch cadence
Tracking: FAA review of Starship launch cadence at StarbaseFAA Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement and licensing decisions on SpaceX's proposal to raise Starship operations at Starbase, Texas to as many as 456 launches and 912 landings per year, including public comment, environmental and community impacts, airspace and range effects, and industry and government positions on Starship cadence.
Space
Articles · 14 days
- Earliest seen
- Oct 21
- Space Foundation · Wednesday, Oct 21
- Articles · 30d
- 33
- 4.7 per story
- Outlets
- 24
- Most: Space.com (3)
- Hill · 30d
- 1
- Last: Monday, Nov 9 · none ahead
- Contracts · 30d
- 0
- No awards or solicitations
- Momentum
- 15.2
- Articles ▲30 vs prior week
Activity
30 days back, 14 ahead · hollow = scheduledWhat's happening
Updated 2h agoSpaceX's Starship Flight 15 reached orbit, deployed 26 Starlink satellites and had its upper stage caught by the Starbase tower arms for the first time, while the Super Heavy booster was lost in the Gulf of Mexico after aborting its catch. Separately, the FAA has reopened and extended public scoping on its environmental impact statement for up to 456 launches a year at Starbase; the Space Foundation digest noted comments due Nov. 30. No upcoming dates are listed in the items.
Latest
6h agoOur first signal
Hill
1 Hill itemThe Hill reported praise from Washington for the catch; NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman publicly backed it. No congressional action on the cadence review appears in the items.
Contracts
No procurement or funding activity in the window.
Pressure
31 articlesSpaceX and Elon Musk push rapid full reusability and higher launch rates for Moon and Mars missions; the items show no opposition filings on the Starbase cadence proposal.
Who covered it, when
A dot per article · ringed = earliest in our sourcesForces at work
share of articles- Technical milestones31 · 91%Flight 15 caught Ship 42 at the tower after a 14-orbit flight that deployed 26 Starlink satellites; the booster aborted after a guidance fault and was lost offshore, so the planned double catch did not happen.SpaceX · Elon Musk · Jared Isaacman · NASA
- Regulation3 · 9%The FAA reopened and extended EIS scoping for expanded Starship-Super Heavy operations at Boca Chica, with scoping meetings planned; Flight 15's timing had hinged on an FAA license modification for the ship catch.FAA · SpaceX
In the news
33 articles6h agoThe Weather Channel (weather.com)SpaceX’s Starship returns from orbit and is captured by launch pad arm 6h agoAl Jazeera‘Almost magic’ as SpaceX craft caught mid-air: Why it matters 9h agoSpace.comWhat's next for SpaceX's Starship after epic Flight 15 chopsticks catch? 10h agoEuronewsWatch: SpaceX catches Starship in midair on return to launch tower 12h agoEuronewsSpaceX catches part of its Starship rocket in historic first 16h agoThe HillSpaceX catches Starship for first time, drawing praise in Washington 18h agoDaily MirrorSpaceX Starship makes dramatic return to Earth after being 'caught' in mid-air by mechanical arms 19h agoNew York PostSpaceX recovers Starship with giant tower arms in historic first 19h agoDaily MailElon Musk's SpaceX makes history with incredible pinpoint Starship landing in Texas as NASA boss praises 'magic' feat 19h agoUPISpaceX catches Starship at launch tower for first time 20h agoAl JazeeraSpaceX’s Starship captured by launchpad arms in dramatic first 21h agoLe MondeSpaceX pulls off first-ever spaceship 'catch' 22h agoLos Angeles TimesSpaceX’s Starship, after mishap, returns from orbit and is captured by launchpad 22h agoThe GuardianSpaceX’s Starship returns to launch pad from orbit in victory for company 22h agoFlorida TodayEarliestSpaceX catches Starship for the first time after launch from Texas 23h agoSpace Policy OnlineSpaceX Catches a Starship 23h agoYahooEarliestOriginalSpaceX Starship returns to landing pad from orbit, acing test for reusable rockets 23h agoSouth China Morning PostEarliestSpaceX successfully carries out first-ever spaceship catch 23h agoSFGATESpaceX’s Starship returns from orbit and is captured by launch pad arms in a dramatic first 23h agoChronSpaceX’s Starship returns from orbit and is captured by launch pad arms in a dramatic first YesterdayChicago TribuneSpaceX’s Starship returns from orbit and is captured by launch pad arms in a dramatic first YesterdaySpace.comSpaceX says Starship Flight 15 booster aborted 'chopsticks' landing catch after launch due to guidance issue (video) YesterdayThe SunMoment Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship booster explodes and crashes into sea during historic mission YesterdayNew York PostSpaceX’s Starship soars into orbit — after booster explodes in Gulf of Mexico YesterdayLos Angeles TimesSpaceX’s Starship soars into orbit after booster explosion foils unprecedented maneuver YesterdaySouth China Morning PostSpaceX’s bid for Starship double catch thwarted, as booster ends up in ocean YesterdaySFGATESpaceX’s Starship soars into orbit after booster explosion prevents an unprecedented double catch 2d agoScientific AmericanCan SpaceX catch its Starship? 2d agoChronSpaceX’s Starship soars into orbit after booster explosion prevents an unprecedented double catch 2d agoSpace.comDouble-catch drama: Why Starship's Flight 15 is so important to SpaceX 4d agoSpaceQStarship Flight 15 to attempt first catch of both stages 9d agoNASASpaceflightOriginalStarship Flight 15, a dual catch attempt, awaits FAA green light Oct 21Space FoundationWashington Updates – Boosting Starship Cadence
On the Hill
15d agoAgencyTransportation DepartmentThe FAA has reopened and extended the public scoping period for its environmental impact statement on SpaceX's plan to expand Starship-Super Heavy launches and landings at Boca Chica and add landing and expenditure sites, and it will hold scoping meetings.SpaceSpaceX catches Starship upper stage at Starbase as FAA reviews higher launch cadenceDetails17 linked