By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters] – As soon as Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), will conduct an environmental assessment of the SpaceX Starship Spacecraft and Super Heavy Rocket Program in Boca Chica.

The FAA extended May 31 as the deadline for making a decision. It stated that it had been working towards issuing its final Programmatic Environmental Assessment after many delays. According to the FAA, SpaceX has made numerous changes in its application which required more FAA analysis.

FAA noted that the completion of an environmental review is not a guarantee for issuance of a vehicle driver’s license. This depends on meeting FAA safety and risk requirements.

The FAA released a 151-page draft environmental review in September that looked at potential environmental impacts of SpaceX’s initial mission profile and reviewed debris recovery, local road closings in Boca Chica and other issues.SpaceX founder Elon Musk said in February he was “highly confident” his new SpaceX Starship, designed for voyages to the moon and Mars, would reach Earth orbit for the first time this year.

Musk claimed that SpaceX is prepared to handle any “worst case” situation, even if an environmental impact report was needed or litigation over the matter threatened to continue.

Musk stated that the company will shift all Starship programs to Florida’s Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral. SpaceX has already received the necessary environmental approval, Musk added.

This would result in a delay of 6-8 months. SpaceX plans to launch the 2023 mission it describes as the first private lunar mission. The Starship will orbit the moon in a loop and then return to Earth.