Aggiornamento da sito FAA su Starship di SpaceX

[Roberto Deboni DMIsr]

Ecco il link:

<https://www.faa.gov/space/stakeholder_engagement/spacex_starship/>


"SpaceX Starship Super Heavy Project at the Boca Chica Launch Site"

"SpaceX proposes to conduct Starship/Super Heavy launch operations from
the Boca Chica Launch Site in Cameron County, Texas. SpaceX must apply
for and obtain an experimental permit(s) and/or a vehicle operator
license from the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation to
operate the Starship/Super Heavy launch vehicle. The FAA's evaluation
of a permit or license application includes a review of
1) public safety issues (such as overflight of populated areas and
payload contents);
2) national security or foreign policy concerns;
3) insurance requirements for the launch operator; and
4) potential environmental impact.
Read more about the history of the Boca Chica launch site and the
location of the launch site."

Per quanto riguarda i punti 1, 3 e 4, nulla da eccepire. Ma il punto 2)
che peso dovrebbe avere per un sito sul territorio degli Stati Uniti ?

Oppure non e' in question tanto il sito, ma quelli di autorizzare
SpaceX a lanciare "a volonta'" lo Starship, che nella versione
"Super Heavy", manderebbe da subito fuori mercato il progetto SLS
della NASA sviluppato da Boeing ?

Infatti il successo economico strabiliante del Falcon 9 ha
costretto la NASA a considerare ed affidare a SpaceX anche i suoi
lanci di astronauti alla stazione spaziale internazionale.

Con un simile successo del progetto Starship, il cui lancio
dovrebbe arrivare a costare solo $2 milioni , come farebbe la NASA
a giustificare ai contribuenti americani la cifra di $2 miliardi
per un singolo lancio del progetto SLS ?


Ecco il dettaglio giuridico dei compiti dell'FAA:

"The Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984, as amended and codified at
51 U.S.C. §§ 50901-50923, authorizes the Secretary of Transportation
to oversee, license, and regulate commercial launch and reentry
activities, and the operation of launch and reentry sites within the
United States or as carried out by U.S. citizens. Section 50905 directs
the Secretary to exercise this responsibility consistent with public
health and safety, safety of property, and the national security and
foreign policy interests of the United States. In addition, Section
50903 requires the Secretary to encourage, facilitate, and promote
commercial space launches and reentries by the private sector. As
codified at 49 CFR § 1.83(b), the Secretary has delegated authority
to carry out these functions to the FAA Administrator."

Segue la lista dei documenti da leggere.