Email A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket intended for the Polaris Dawn mission sits on a launchpad at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on August 26. Joe Skipper/Reuters via CNN Newsource Facebook This comes after Papahānaumokuākea received designation as the 18th National Marine Sanctuary in the United States. The Biden-Harris Administration announced on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, that the site is now officially the largest protected area in the country. The Sanctuary’s coral reefs, seamounts, and sandbanks will now have more national protections as it’s home to a wide variety of marine animals only found in the Hawaiian Islands. SpaceX’s Environmental Assessment Draft says that the launches would start at its Boca Chica site in Texas. EA Officials also say that it could create a noise disturbance to marine species in the area. The deadline for public input ends on Friday, January 17, 2025.