A traffic jam is forming at US rocket-launch sites as Elon Musk’s SpaceX and other rocket companies are planning to increase flights in the years ahead as they ferry their own satellites or payloads for other customers to space, reports The Wall Street Journal.

In 2024, which was a record year for the number of space flights (more than 150), the majority of launches were carried out from three sites. Florida's Cape Canaveral launch sites were the busiest (67 launches), followed by California's Vandenberg Space Force Base (47 launches) and Florida's Kennedy Space Center (26 launches).

Plans to ramp up launches put those launch sites at risk and prevent backup sites from entering space in time, government officials and industry leaders fear. However, according to former US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) official George Nield, any accident could put one of the largest launch sites out of commission for months.

Other launch sites have had trouble getting US federal approval, and some are landlocked, as missiles are usually launched from coastal areas to reduce risk to the public. Building new launch sites close to shore is difficult because local residents are often concerned about interference and from the noise.

US officials are trying to cope with this problem. The FAA is leading a group of government agencies to develop a national launch site strategy, with a report on this work expected in 2025.