FAA states SpaceX still awaiting clearance for second Starship Super Heavy test flight

FAA Halts SpaceX’s Starship Super Heavy Launch

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Wednesday that SpaceX’s Starship Super Heavy launch vehicle is not yet cleared for another test flight. This news comes after SpaceX CEO Elon Musk stated on X (formerly Twitter), which he now owns, that “Starship is ready to launch, awaiting FAA license approval.” However, Musk’s aerospace company hasn’t yet met the FAA’s requirements for another flight, following an explosion during the first test flight of the vehicle in April 2023.

The Launch Mishap and its Aftermath

The first Starship launch saw the nearly 400-foot-tall rocket fly for more than three minutes. However, the flight resulted in multiple engine failures, severe damage to the ground infrastructure, and failed to reach space after the rocket began to tumble and was intentionally destroyed in the air. This mishap caused concrete chunks to be flung into nearby tanks and other equipment, impacted endangered wildlife habitat, and sparked a 4-acre fire on state park land.

The FAA’s Position and Response

Following the launch mishap, the FAA initiated an investigation, which is a standard practice by the agency responsible for public safety during commercial space transportation launch and reentry operations. In a statement sent to CNBC, the FAA clarified that “The SpaceX Starship mishap investigation remains open. The FAA will not authorize another Starship launch until SpaceX implements the corrective actions identified during the mishap investigation and demonstrates compliance with all the regulatory requirements of the license modification process.”

SpaceX’s Future Plans and Regulatory Challenges

Despite these challenges, SpaceX aims to use its Starship program to transport heavy science equipment into orbit and economically move higher volumes of cargo and people to the Moon and eventually Mars. However, Musk’s relationship with state and federal regulators and certain members of Congress has been tense.

There have been instances where Musk has ignored FAA requirements. For instance, in December 2020, Musk reportedly pushed SpaceX to go against the agency’s orders and conduct a test flight of a rocket called the SN8, which the agency had explicitly barred. The SN8 rocket exploded. More recently, SpaceX conducted several tests of a new water deluge system at the Starship Super Heavy launch site in South Texas without obtaining the required environmental permits from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

As the investigation continues, the future of SpaceX’s Starship Super Heavy launches remains uncertain.

Original Story at www.cnbc.com – 2023-09-07 03:41:00