Rohit Baniwal, writer
Brief news
- SpaceX is seeking FAA approval for its fifth Starship launch, potentially as early as October 13, despite previous delays and criticism of the FAA’s review process.
- The FAA has expedited its review, with assessments moving faster than expected, but complications could still postpone the launch.
- The upcoming flight aims to enhance Starship’s reusability and is crucial for NASA’s Artemis moon program, which relies on SpaceX’s capabilities.
Detailed news
SpaceX may receive its subsequent Starship license from the Federal Aviation Administration in time for a launch attempt on Sunday, according to CNBC.
In recent weeks, SpaceX and its CEO, Elon Musk, have been vocally critical of the FAA, imploring the federal regulator to expedite its license evaluation for Starship’s fifth test flight. The FAA stated last week that it did not anticipate issuing the license before “late November.”
SpaceX announced on Monday that the fifth Starship spaceflight could launch as early as October 13, subject to regulatory approval, despite the ongoing review. The organization did not specify whether it anticipated receiving its license by Sunday.
However, a source with knowledge of the situation stated on Tuesday that SpaceX’s apparent aggressive objective is feasible due to the FAA’s expedited review process.
The individual informed CNBC that the regulator and partner agencies involved in the process conducted assessments at a faster pace than had been anticipated. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently in the final phases of concluding a review for the FAA. The individual, who requested anonymity to discuss the ongoing federal review, also mentioned that it is feasible that any complications this week could eliminate a Sunday attempt and postpone approval until later this month.
The FAA eliminated its previous November estimate in an updated statement to CNBC on Tuesday.
“SpaceX submitted new information for its proposed Starship/Super Heavy Flight 5 mission in mid-August.” The FAA is currently in the process of reviewing this information. The FAA stated that a licensing determination will be made once SpaceX has satisfied all licensing requirements.
In response to a request for comment, the FAA was referred to CNBC by the Fish and Wildlife Service.
In a lengthy blog post published on September 10, SpaceX claimed that the FAA was delaying the fifth launch of Starship due to “superfluous environmental analysis.” The company claimed that the extended review was being conducted for “unreasonable and exasperating reasons” and represents the challenges faced by companies seeking launch licenses in the current regulatory environment.
The post partially criticized reports that SpaceX violated environmental regulations by utilizing the water deluge system of the Starship launchpad in Texas without authorization. Nevertheless, SpaceX resolved the penalties imposed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the federal Environmental Protection Agency for unauthorized water discharge.
Reuters was the first to report that the FAA may authorize a license as soon as this month, but it did not specify whether this could occur as soon as Sunday.
A fifth launch that is ambitious
With its fifth flight, SpaceX intends to advance the development of its massive Starship rocket. It is endeavoring to expand upon the advancements made during the fourth Starship test flight in June, which made a deliberate splashdown in the Indian Ocean after traveling halfway around the globe.
SpaceX intends to attempt to retrieve and capture the rocket’s 232-foot-tall booster as part of its endeavor to render Starship wholly reusable.
The Super Heavy booster is anticipated to return to the launch site and land between a pair of “chopsticks” on the tower after launching and separating from the upper Starship section of the rocket. SpaceX underscored that the capture attempt necessitates the fulfillment of “thousands” of criteria, failing which the booster will deviate from the return trajectory and come down off the Gulf of Mexico coast.
The flight was described by SpaceX in a statement that stated, “We will not compromise on the safety of the public and our team, and the return will only be attempted if the conditions are just right.”
The fifth Starship launch from the company’s facility near Brownsville, Texas, has a window that opens at 8 a.m. ET on Sunday.
The Starship is the most potent and highest rocket ever launched. Starship is approximately 30 feet in diameter and stands at a height of 397 feet when fully loaded on the Super Heavy booster.
The Starship system is intended to be completely reusable and to serve as a novel approach to transporting cargo and individuals beyond the Earth. NASA’s strategy to reestablish personnel on the moon is also contingent upon the rocket. The agency awarded SpaceX a multibillion-dollar contract to utilize Starship as a crewed lunar lander as part of NASA’s Artemis moon program.
Source : CNBC News