FAA May Grant Launch License for Starship by October Written 15 September 2023

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Starship SN9 on the launch pad. | Credit: Jared Krahn; Wikimedia Commons; CC BY-SA 4.0

CNN reports that the FAA says it is “optimistic” that it “could allow SpaceX to launch its mega rocket, Starship, by the end of October.” Starship has been “grounded since its inaugural test flight in April ended when the rocket – the most powerful launch vehicle ever built – exploded over the Gulf of Mexico.” Last week, the FAA “said it had completed its safety investigation into the explosion and laid out 63 corrective actions SpaceX must take to obtain a launch license from the agency.” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk “posted on social media on Sunday that the company had completed and documented 57 ‘required’ actions out of a list of 63.” He also has “posted pictures of the rocket fully stacked and ready on the launchpad, which lies due east of Brownsville, Texas, on the state’s southernmost tip.” The FAA “said the corrective actions also must pass an environmental review.”
Full Story (CNN)