The US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) has given SpaceX the green light to try again to launch its most powerful rocket ever, the Starship, after a spectacular explosion last April.
In a statement, the FAA confirmed that SpaceX had met all the necessary requirements regarding safety, environmental concerns, and financial responsibility, following the failure of the first launch.
“Targeting Friday, November 17 for Starship’s second flight test,” SpaceX announced on X (formerly Twitter), immediately after the FAA’s announcement.
A two-hour launch window will open at 7 a.m. local time (3 p.m. BST) from the SpaceX base at Boca Chica, Texas.
NASA is closely monitoring Starship’s development, as it is relying on the vessel for its Artemis lunar missions. A modified version of the rocket is expected to serve as the lander to deliver astronauts to the moon’s surface.
Standing at a whopping 120 metres high, the Starship is a two-stage rocket: the Super Heavy propulsion stage with its 33 engines, followed by the Starship vessel itself which, by extension, names the entire rocket.
The real innovation of the Starship is its full reusability: both stages are designed to return and land on their launch pad, significantly reducing costs.
