SpaceX's Starship May Get FAA Clearance to Launch Again Next Month — Elon Musk Sees 'Higher Chance of Success'

SpaceX‘s Starship can seemingly get Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) clearance for its second flight test as early as next month.

What Happened: “We’re working well with them and have been in good discussions. Teams are working together and I think we’re optimistic sometime next month,” Acting FAA Administrator Polly Trottenberg said on Wednesday, as reported by Reuters.

Earlier this week, CEO Elon Musk confirmed that SpaceX has implemented all the fixes demanded by the FAA for Starship ahead of its second flight test.

The rocket manufacturing company conducted the first test launch of Starship on April 20. The rocket exploded in less than four minutes after take-off, damaging the launch pad at Starbase and raining down dust on the residents of Port Isabel, Texas. FAA closed the investigation into the test and subsequent explosion citing multiple root causes for the mishap and 63 correction actions.

Why It Matters: The initial launch license procured by SpaceX authorized it to conduct just one launch and the company will now have to apply for a modification of the license to allow for more launches. While applying for a modification, SpaceX will also have to demonstrate that it has implemented corrective measures, FAA had said.

Musk has previously estimated a 60% probability for the next flight to reach orbit, contingent on the success of stage separation. On Wednesday, he reiterated the optimism and pinned the chance of success of the upcoming flight “much higher” than the first in a reply on X, formerly Twitter.

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