SpaceX eyes new launch site for Mars-bound Starship rocket

A new launch site for SpaceX’s Starship has been proposed as part of chief executive Elon Musk’s plans to ramp up the launch schedule of the Mars-bound rocket.

Measuring roughly 120 metres when fully stacked, Starship is the biggest rocket ever built, capable of delivering a payload of around 100,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit.

SpaceX currently develops and launches Starship prototypes at its Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, though the company’s ambition is to establish a global network of launchpads to facilitate interplanetary travel.

The US Department of the Air Force detailed the proposed action for the new site in Cape Canaveral, Florida, in a new website, revealing that SpaceX is hoping to take over the SLC-37 launchpad.

The historic launchpad was built in the 1960s and was first used for the Saturn 1 and 1B rockets, which helped deliver astronauts to the Moon. At the time, they were the biggest rockets ever built.

“SpaceX would modify, reuse, or demolish the existing SLC-37 infrastructure to support Starship-Super Heavy launch and landing operations,” the proposal states.

The 33 Raptor engines of SpaceX’s Starship rocket during a test launch on 18 November, 2023 (SpaceX)

Plans for another Starship launchpad at the Starbase site are also in development, with Mr Musk revealing last month that a newly designed launch tower with “robot chopsticks” would allow them to catch the booster rocket after delivering the upper stage into orbit.

“We’re really going to be launching a lot,” the SpaceX boss said at a SpaceX event. “We’re going to be upgrading one tower while we’re launching from another tower, so two towers is important.”

In 2021, Mr Musk revealed that SpaceX is also planning to convert disused oil rigs into launch platforms for Starship.

Work is already underway to convert two offshore oil rigs, renamed Deimos and Phoibos after the two moons of Mars.

SpaceX is also preparing for the third major Starship launch, which will aim to send an uncrewed rocket from Texas to Hawaii in a 90-minute flight around Earth.

Two previous attempts both ended in fiery explosions shortly after lift off. No date has yet been set for the third attempt.

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