New updates have been reported about SpaceX (PC:SPXEX)
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SpaceX has received regulatory clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to proceed with the seventh launch of its Starship rocket, although the company has not yet specified the launch date. This approval allows SpaceX to conduct multiple missions, provided there are no changes to the mission profile or vehicle configuration. The upcoming mission includes another attempt to catch the Super Heavy booster, a feat SpaceX successfully achieved in October, and a controlled water landing of the Starship upper-stage vehicle in the Indian Ocean. Despite the regulatory green light, SpaceX has not announced when the mission will occur, marking the first instance where an FAA launch license was not immediately followed by a launch date announcement.
The FAA has also worked with SpaceX to approve certain ‘damage exceptions’ that would not trigger a mishap investigation, such as potential failures of the upper stage’s Raptor engine during landing or damage to the thermal shield or flap system. These exceptions are intended to expedite the return to launch, assuming no serious public or property harm occurs. SpaceX has previously expressed frustration with what it describes as ‘superfluous’ regulatory delays impacting the Starship program. The Starship, standing nearly 400 feet tall and generating 3.3 million pounds of thrust, is central to CEO Elon Musk’s vision of making humans a multi-planetary species, with aspirations to launch an uncrewed mission to Mars by 2026.