SpaceX Receives FAA License for Third Starship Test Flight, Targeting Launch on Thursday

SpaceX, founded by entrepreneur Elon Musk, is gearing up for its third Starship test flight, scheduled to take place on Thursday morning. This comes after federal regulators approved the launch attempt by granting the company the necessary license.

FAA Approval

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued SpaceX the launch license, confirming that the company has satisfied all safety, environmental, policy, and financial responsibility requirements for the upcoming test flight.

Launch Details

The targeted launch window for the third Starship test flight is set between 8:00 a.m. ET and 9:50 a.m. ET on Thursday. SpaceX plans to live stream the event, with the webcast scheduled to commence 30 minutes before the launch window opens.

Previous Test Flights

SpaceX aims to build on the experiences gained from the previous year's Starship prototype flights. The most recent test flight, conducted in November, saw the Starship prototype reach space, although it encountered issues leading to its destruction. Following an investigation by SpaceX and the FAA, the company made necessary modifications to the rocket for the upcoming attempt.

New Capabilities

For the third Starship flight, SpaceX intends to demonstrate new capabilities, such as opening and closing the spacecraft's door, conducting fuel transfers during the flight as part of a NASA demonstration, and concluding the flight with a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.