SpaceX's Starship Cleared for Second Takeoff After Obtaining Modified Launch License from FAA

Musk’s previous predictions haven’t come to fruition, but this time, a fresh launch license backs the SpaceX CEO’s timeline.

Jack Daleo

Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at 02:07 PM ET

Verified

SpaceX’s Starship upper stage and Super Heavy booster sit stacked on the launch pad ahead of April’s maiden voyage. [Courtesy: SpaceX]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA has granted SpaceX a license for the second orbital test flight of Starship, with Elon Musk's prediction of a Friday launch now backed by the agency, offering backup dates for Saturday and Sunday.
The approval followed extensive safety and environmental reviews, including the installation of a new water deluge system at Starbase to address the launchpad damage that occurred during Starship's inaugural flight.
This test flight is critical for SpaceX, as its success is essential for NASA's Artemis III mission to land humans on the Moon and the company's long-term ambitions for human colonization of Mars.

See a mistake? Contact us.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has not enjoyed a great track record when it comes to predicting the second orbital test flight of Starship, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built. But Musk’s assertion this week—that the 400-foot-tall Starship upper stage and Super Heavy booster could fly again as soon as Friday—looks like it could come true.

“Was just informed that approval to launch should happen in time for a Friday launch,” Musk wrote in a post on his social media platform X, formerly Twitter.