FAA authorizes SpaceX to conduct Starship’s first orbital test flight. The next generation rocket could launch on Monday.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has given final approval to SpaceX to conduct the first orbital test flight of its Starship rocket. As Ars Technica explains, the FAA granted the company a license to launch a next-generation rocket from south Texas earlier this weekend.
FAA approves SpaceX for first Starship orbital test flight
“After a very comprehensive license evaluation process, the FAA has concluded that SpaceX meets all safety, environmental, regulatory, load, airspace integration, and financial responsibility requirements,” the agency said in a press release. “The license is valid for five years.”
Meanwhile, SpaceX said it will attempt to complete the long-awaited test on Monday, with the launch window opening at 2 pm French time. According to Ars Technica’s Eric Berge, the weather forecast for this Monday is perfect, with moderate winds and clear skies expected. If SpaceX unfortunately has to be delayed, there are several other opportunities on Tuesday and Wednesday.
As early as Monday, April 17, the first flight tests of a fully integrated Starship and Super Heavy rocket from Starbase Texas are scheduled → https://t.co/bJFjLCiTbK pic.twitter.com/Ry25Uuvknh
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 14, 2023
New-generation rocket could take off as early as Monday
The path to this was, to put it mildly, difficult for SpaceX. In addition to the many technical challenges the company had to overcome, the FAA conducted a comprehensive environmental audit of the Boca Chica complex. The launch site is located near the Gulf of Mexico and is surrounded by wetlands that are home to hundreds of thousands of waders. Last June, the FAA provided SpaceX with a list of 75 actions it needs to take to protect local wildlife around the center. Now that all these issues are settled, the only thing left for the company to do is to take care of the last possible issues and technical adjustments to its Starship rocket.
The forecast for Monday morning’s Starship launch attempt looks amazing at the South Texas spaceport, with moderate easterly winds, temperatures above 60 degrees (~20°C) and clear skies. Relative humidity is high when the window is opened, but decreases during the morning.
— Eric Berger (@SciGuySpace) April 15, 2023