Elon Musk wants the FAA to let SpaceX conduct more Starship tests in 2025: What that means

Elon Musk is pushing for SpaceX to significantly ramp up Starship test launches in 2025.

The proposal from Musk, the billionaire founder and CEO of the commercial space transportation company, would more than quintuple the flight tests of the massive SpaceX megarocket from four demonstrations in 2024 to 25 next year. Though Musk's request would need approval from federal regulators, it comes as the tech mogul's influence over U.S. policy is likely to grow when President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.

SpaceX envisions the powerful spacecraft being a fully reusable transportation system that can carry both humans and cargo to Earth's orbit, the moon and even Mars. Musk has sought to aggressively develop and test the Starship rocket even as NASA has since delayed the moon mission for which it would be used by at least another year.

Here's everything to know about SpaceX's Starship plans and what increased testing may mean:

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When is the next Starship test?

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a launch license for the next Starship flight test on Dec. 17, clearing the way for SpaceX to once again launch the world's largest rocket from south Texas.

But while SpaceX is rapidly preparing for its flight test, the company has not yet announced a target date for the launch.

In recent days, SpaceX has shared photos of the Starship vehicle being prepared at the Starbase facility in Boca Chica near Brownsville, Texas. The FAA, which licenses commercial rocket launches, issued the green light as SpaceX's Starship has been undergoing engine tests to check the flight readiness of its seventh Starship, composed of both a spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket booster.

SpaceX looks to increase Starship tests in 2025

SpaceX launched two Starship flight test in 2023 before increasing the demos to four in 2024, with the final one of the year taking place in November.

But that's nothing compared to what Musk hopes to accomplish in 2025. The tech billionaire has requested FAA approval to ramp up Starship flight tests to 25 launches next year as he plans to move his entire rocket-building operation from California to south Texas.

Before the FAA can make a ruling on SpaceX licensing, the federal agency is soliciting public input on SpaceX's proposal and hosting five public meetings in January ? four in Texas and one livestreamed on Jan. 13. SpaceX must also "satisfy all safety, environmental and other regulatory requirements before the FAA will approve the increase in operations," the agency said in a statement to USA TODAY.

SpaceX clashes with FAA over regulations, fines

SpaceX has found itself at odds with the FAA in recent months over regulations that the company has vocally criticized.

In September, the FAA announced a proposal to hit SpaceX with $633,009 in civil penalties for what the agency claims were failures by the company to follow license requirements ahead of two separate launches last year. In response, Musk took to his social media site X to indicate his plans to sue the agency for "regulatory overreach."

News of the proposed fines came on the heels of the FAA briefly grounding SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket following a fiery landing mishap on an otherwise successful orbital satellite delivery.

Musk has routinely taken aim at federal regulators, both for the proposed fines and for what SpaceX has labeled a "superfluous" delay in approving licenses for Starship test flights.

In its statement, the FAA said it seeks to balance spaceflight progress with the need to ensure commercial launches are safe. A record 148 FAA-licensed commercial space operations took place in 2024, up by more than 30% from the year prior.

"The FAA is committed to enabling the success of the U.S. commercial space transportation industry, ensuring the U.S. remains the preeminent commercial space country of choice and maintaining the industry’s strong safety record," the agency said. "Making a licensing determination in a timely and efficient manner is central to achieving these outcomes and requires a strong dialogue between the FAA and the industry."

Looking back at Starship tests: SpaceX conducts 6 flight tests for vehicle pivotal for future deep-space missions

What is the SpaceX Starship rocket?

SpaceX has spent years developing and testing the Starship, which is classified as a super heavy-lift launch vehicle and is lauded as the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built.

The 400-foot vehicle features two components: The 165-foot Starship spacecraft itself, and the 232-foot Super Heavy rocket it's perched atop.

The Starship is due to play a pivotal role in NASA's lunar ambitions and future deep space flight in the coming years.

Under NASA's lunar exploration plans, Artemis III astronauts aboard the Orion capsule would board the Starship while in orbit for a ride to the moon's surface. Musk also has grand ambitions of sending the first Starships to Mars in late 2026, the next time that Earth and Mars line up, followed by crewed flights in 2028.

Environmental concerns over Starship

Environmentalists and watchdog groups have expressed concerns about the environmental impact of frequent Starship launches. What's more, many advocates have begun to worry that Musk's influence with Trump may lead to less oversight of the spaceflight sector.

Musk, who spent more than a quarter-billion dollars to help Trump get elected, is set to be appointed to lead Trump's “Department of Government Efficiency,” or DOGE, a new advisory group tasked with downsizing government.

Earlier this year, a New York Times investigation found that on at least 19 occasions since 2019, SpaceX operations have caused fires, leaks, explosions or other environmental damage associated with the rapid growth of Starbase in Boca Chica. And in 2023, environmental groups sued the FAA over the explosion of SpaceX's Starship rocket on its inaugural test flight, accusing the agency of allowing the company to bypass important environmental reviews because of political and financial influence.

SpaceX officials did not comment in the Times' article, but Musk and his company have frequently lambasted what they view as "false reporting" about the toll its launches take on the environment.

In a lengthy September blog post, SpaceX wrote that the company is "committed to minimizing impact and enhancing the surrounding environment where possible."

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What did Starship tests accomplish in 2024?

SpaceX's fourth and final Starship flight test of 2024 unfolded in November in front of a newly elected Trump.

All six flight tests so far of the super heavy-lift launch vehicle have generally improved with each iteration. During the fourth test on June 6, the Starship vehicle splashed down for the first time in the Indian Ocean after the first three tests ended in explosions.

But one of the pivotal accomplishments this year for SpaceX came on Oct. 13, when the rocket booster was able to steer autonomously back to the landing pad, where it was caught with two giant mechanical arms. Having the capability of catching the Starship booster is crucial for SpaceX, giving the company a completely reusable vehicle that is able to fly again.

SpaceX called off an attempt to replicate the maneuver in its Nov. 19 demonstration, citing unspecified safety concerns.

Contributing: Rick Jervis, Amanda Lee Myers, USA TODAY

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SpaceX wants way more Starship testing in 2025. What will the FAA do?