SpaceX plans threaten access to Playalinda’s nude beach
FAA review highlights risk to nudist access at Canaveral National Seashore and invites public comment
The future of nude recreation at Florida’s popular Playalinda Beach may be caught in the blast zone of SpaceX’s plans for its next-generation Starship rocket.
A draft environmental impact statement (EIS) from the Federal Aviation Administration outlines the company’s request to launch and land Starship from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex-39A as many as 44 times per year. Each launch would require safety closures of Playalinda Beach, part of the Canaveral National Seashore, potentially adding up to more than 60 closures annually — the equivalent of two full months.
Playalinda is one of Florida’s few beaches where nudity is tolerated, and it draws visitors from around the state and beyond specifically for nude recreation. Advocates warn that repeated closures could displace longtime nude beachgoers and create tensions elsewhere.
The nudist response
The story has gained national attention thanks to Space.com, which provided thorough coverage of the FAA hearings earlier this month and featured comments from nudists who rely on Playalinda. Among them was Erich Schuttauf, executive director of the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR), who noted that restricting access to Playalinda would push visitors into other areas of the region, potentially creating conflict between clothing-optional and textile users of the seashore. “The FAA and SpaceX need to be mindful of the local community,” Schuttauf told Space.com.
In a conversation with Planet Nude, Schuttauf added that nudists and naturists should not sit out the FAA’s comment process. “Absolutely, people need to weigh in—the deadline is September 22,” Schuttauf said. He stressed that the volume of comments will matter as much as the content, since federal agencies often tally responses as part of their decision-making process.
AANR-Florida is already taking steps. Its president, Joe Rives, said the region is preparing a formal letter highlighting the potential impacts of Starship launches on nude recreation, tourism, and the environment. “Florida has drafted a letter, and other regions will echo those concerns,” Rives told Planet Nude. “We’ll also provide members with sample scripts so they can personalize their own comments. The power is in numbers.”
The FAA’s draft EIS acknowledges the disruptions, noting that Starship’s size and safety zones would require wider restrictions than Falcon 9 launches. In addition to beach closures, the agency projects delays for air travel and maritime traffic across Florida. Noise modeling suggests that nearby residents could be regularly awakened during nighttime launches and booster landings.
For nudists, however, the central issue is whether Playalinda will remain accessible as a dependable sanctuary. Frequent closures threaten to reduce opportunities for nude recreation, as well as to undermine one of the rare places in Florida where social nudity is tolerated in a natural public setting.
Comment before Sep. 22
With the FAA’s comment deadline approaching, Schuttauf and Rives urged nudists to speak up. They suggest highlighting a few key points: the economic value of nude tourism in Florida; the potential for user conflict if nudists are displaced to other beaches; personal experiences of visiting Playalinda; and environmental concerns with the broader health of the Canaveral National Seashore.
Public comments on the draft EIS are open through September 22 at regulations.gov, Docket ID FAA-2024-1395. For nudists and others who rely on Playalinda, the outcome could determine whether the beach remains a dependable sanctuary or a recurring casualty of rocket science. 🪐
Notes:
Dinner, J. (2025, September 5). ‘The turtles and the nudists will have to migrate’: SpaceX plan for Starship launches from Florida sparks debate among Space Coast residents. Space.com. https://www.space.com/space-exploration/human-spaceflight/the-turtles-and-the-nudists-will-have-to-migrate-spacex-plan-for-starship-launches-from-florida-sparks-debate-among-space-coast-residents
I did my part and left a comment in support of protecting our Beaches