SpaceX is moving forward with its plans to construct a new Starship launch pad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral.

The Elon Musk-led company requested the American space agency conduct environmental assessments of its Launch Complex 49, which is an unbuilt launch facility located at the northern end of the center.

Musk announced plans of setting up an orbital launch pad for the massive rocket on December 3, but only sharing in a tweet that construction has begun.

'The 175-acre site, located north of Launch Complex 39B within the center's security perimeter, would support the launch and landing of the company's Starship and Super Heavy launch vehicle,' NASA shared in a press release released Wednesday evening.

'NASA and SpaceX are moving forward with the initial environmental analysis before concluding a potential agreement to develop the property.'

When Musk announced plans to move his Starship launches to Florida, it was believed the launch pad would be located at Complex 39 where SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets launch into space.

Cape Canaveral is also the company's spot to launch Starlink satellites into orbit, along with cargo and astronauts to the International Space Station - but Wednesday's announcements shows it is Complex 49.  

Tom Engler, Kennedy's director of center planning and development, said in a statement: 'LC-49 has been a part of Kennedy's master plan for several years.'

However, the spaceport sits on land that is shared with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Canaveral National Seashore, which means it is home to threatened and endangered species.