FAA Starship meetings: Community frustrated with lack of public participation

FAA Starship meetings held on Florida's Space Coast

The FAA is hosting meetings on the Space Coast this week for people to learn more about potential Starship launches in the area.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - Space Coast residents voiced frustration after federal officials barred them from speaking publicly at a meeting on SpaceX’s proposed Starship launches from Kennedy Space Center.

What we know:

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently published a nearly 500-page report on the potential impacts of Starship, the world’s biggest rocket created by SpaceX. 

While it’s currently launching in Texas, SpaceX is asking officials to also launch the massive rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center.

The government agency hosted its first of several public meetings on Tuesday on what officials studied about the rocket. People were instructed to watch a video recording of what FAA found out and could look at posters and other documents on the rocket while at the meeting. 

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Many thought they could make public comments in the open and get answers from officials at the meeting but felt let down when the FAA said they would only be able to submit written comments to a court reporter. No one was allowed to stand up and speak publicly like we often see at city council meetings.

People who attended had concerns about potential beach closures to Playalinda Beach because the report says it may need to close up to 60 days a year. Others worry about potential structural damage to their properties because they’re already seeing cracks in their homes from much smaller rockets launching in the area.

The report also outlined potential impacts on commercial air travel. Several Florida airports, including Orlando International Airport, could see flight delays from 40 minutes up to two hours when Starship launches due to restricted airspace, the report says.

What they're saying:

People were frustrated when they were told they couldn’t stand up and make comments in the open during the meeting about the rocket.

"Everyone made the trek out here to speak in this forum, and now they’re saying we cannot speak. We’re going to be spoken to, and we’re going to be told what’s happening rather than having any type of influence upon it," said Titus Woodham, who attended the meeting.

"I was a little surprised because the write-up I brought, this is what I was going to read. I get here, and they said public meeting, but it’s not," Thomas Ford, who also attended the meeting.

What we don't know:

It’s unclear when the FAA could approve the study. It’s only in draft form right now. It’s also unclear how the FAA is weighing the public comments people are submitting via court reporter and online. The FAA would not make any on-air comment to the media during the meeting.

What's next:

There are more meetings scheduled on Starship, which are listed below:

1. Thursday, August 28, 2025; two meetings: 1:00 PM–3:00 PM & 6:00 PM–8:00 PM ET at the Radisson Conference Center, Grande Caribbean, 8701 Astronaut Boulevard, Cape Canaveral, FL 32920
2. Virtually on Wednesday, September 3, 2025; 6:00 PM–8:00 PM ET | Registration Link | Dial-in phone number: 888-788-0099 (Toll Free) | Webinar ID: 892 9206 9685 | Passcode: 095859

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