SpaceX has officially started construction on its newest Starship launch facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, marking a major step forward in expanding the company’s flight operations beyond Texas. Company officials confirmed Monday that work is underway on Space Complex 37, the historic site once tied to NASA’s early moon missions.
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SpaceX recently secured approval to begin developing the complex, which will serve as a launch pad for the company’s massive Super Heavy booster and Starship spacecraft — the fully reusable system intended to support human missions to the moon and, eventually, Mars. While SpaceX has not yet announced when the new facility will be completed, officials noted on X that Starship operations would commence at the “world’s premiere spaceport” once construction is finished.
The new launch site follows continued progress at Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, where Starship completed its 11th flight test with a successful splashdown in the Indian Ocean on October 13. SpaceX is now preparing to expand flight cadence by adding a second major operational base in Florida, home to some of the nation’s most iconic launch infrastructure.
Before approval was granted, Air Force officials conducted an extensive review of the site and confirmed that mitigation measures would protect sensitive habitats and reduce environmental impacts. An additional assessment will evaluate potential effects on Florida’s aviation system, with the site expected to support as many as 76 annual launches and 152 booster landings, according to Florida Today.
Launch Complex 37, originally built for the Apollo missions in the late 1960s and later used by Boeing’s Delta rocket program until 2024, was once slated for demolition. However, SpaceX’s new lease guarantees that the historic complex will remain a cornerstone of the nation’s growing commercial space activities.
Not everyone in the region is enthusiastic about the new development. Nearby residents have voiced concerns about noise, vibration, and safety — especially following a recent Super Heavy booster explosion during a test in Texas.
“I live straight across the Indian River in Titusville,” resident Charlene Melcher told WESH.
“During a regular SpaceX launch, I can sleep through it, [but] a heavy, I hear it,” she said. “This one, I'm terrified it's gonna destroy my house.”
Such concerns were part of the reason why plans shifted from Launch Complex 39 to Launch Complex 37, which offered an opportunity to further distance operations from populated areas and reduce disruptions.
Starship is poised to play a crucial part in NASA’s Artemis program, transporting astronauts and equipment to the lunar surface. Spectrum News notes that the spacecraft is also central to future Mars missions — part of SpaceX’s long-term vision for human settlement on the Red Planet.
The FAA has proposed allowing up to 44 Starship/Super Heavy launches per year, a cadence that would require approximately 61 days of airspace, maritime, and local access closures. Those plans remain under review as SpaceX builds the new complex.
With construction now underway, SpaceX moves one step closer to adding Florida as a full-time location for Starship operations, expanding launch capability and solidifying its presence at one of the world’s most active spaceports.
Originally reported by Mike Heuer in UPI.
