It looks like the FAA has closed out earlier today the Written Reevaluation of the 2022 PEA for Flight 5. This includes the larger sonic boom levels, the modified splashdown area for the hot-staging ring, and the use of the water deluge for the booster landing. Link at the end.
Looking through the document, this process was finished in the last couple of days with the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service ESA Interagency Cooperation Division signing off on the modified plan for Flight 5.
During the consultation period, the FAA requested the Fish and Wildlife Service to expedite the process and carry it out solely for the proposed Flight 5.
The FWS was concerned that the use of the expression "Flight 5 mission profile" would imply this concurrence was not just for this flight but also for flight 6 which is expected to use the same profile and vehicle configuration. They recommend certain measures before Flight 6.
The FAA replied back clarifying this and referencing the scope of the license.
In its concurrence, the FWS does agree that SpaceX could repeat launches using the Flight 5 profile, within the scope of the license, for up to five flights per year as has been the case for the current PEA which is being re-evaluated in this process.
The NMFS ESA Interagency Cooperation Division also signed off on the proposed plan for Flight 5.
According to the documentation, the new splashdown location for the hot-staging ring could be as close as 1km from the shore, although it is expected to be more in the 3 to 4 km distance. Previous reevaluation in Nov 2023 only covered 30-400km from shore.
Link to document: faa.gov/media/85696
Updated sonic boom models predict a higher sonic boom level for Super Heavy's return to the launch site.
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