The approval means SpaceX could launch the gargantuan rocket, which stands nearly 400 feet tall, as soon as Monday. NASA has selected Starship as the vehicle that will transport people to the surface of the moon for the first time since 1972.
The Federal Aviation Administration on Friday granted SpaceX a license to launch its massive Starship vehicle, paving the way for a maiden flight that could come as soon as Monday.
The flight is a test of the fully reusable rocket and spacecraft that NASA has picked to carry astronauts to the surface of the moon. It would be the most powerful rocket in the world, if the test is successful.“After a comprehensive license evaluation process, the FAA determined SpaceX met all safety, environmental, policy, payload, airspace integration and financial responsibility,” the FAA said in a statement.
The FAA previously granted the company a preliminary approval but required SpaceX to take 75 steps to protect the environment.In 2021, NASA awarded SpaceX a $2.9 billion contract to develop the vehicle. The space agency plans to use it to land astronauts on the lunar surface for the first time since 1972.
With the license granted, the nearly 400-foot-tall rocket is expected within days to lift off from SpaceX’s facility in South Texas near the Gulf of Mexico. The spacecraft is scheduled to fly over the Florida Straits between Florida and Cuba and circle much of the globe before splashing down off the coast of Hawaii. The booster is expected to fall into the Gulf of Mexico.SpaceX chief executive and founder Elon Musk has said he expects about a 50 percent chance of success.
“With a test such as this, success is measured by how much we can learn, which will inform and improve the probability of success in the future as SpaceX rapidly advances development of Starship,” SpaceX said.
Deutschland Neuesten Nachrichten, Deutschland Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
SpaceX Targets First Orbital Starship Flight for MondaySpaceX cleared its final hurdle Friday to launch a fully-stacked Starship from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas as early as next week.
Weiterlesen »
Will SpaceX's Starship go orbital for the 1st time on April 17?The company has identified that date as a target, but it's far from set in stone.
Weiterlesen »
SpaceX’s Set to (Maybe) Launch Starship, the Most Powerful Rocket On Earth Next WeekIt looks like Elon Musk could very possibly get one step closer to his goal of colonizing Mars now that the gargantuan Starship launch vehicle is ready for launch sometime in the coming days and only “awaiting regulatory approval,” as Musk has relayed via Twitter. ...
Weiterlesen »
What to Expect When SpaceX's Starship Megarocket Attempts Its First Orbital Flight Next WeekSpaceX is on the verge of launching its gigantic rocket for the first time. Failure is a possibility, but the company issued a promise: 'Excitement guaranteed.'
Weiterlesen »
SpaceX Starship shines on pad ahead of 1st orbital launch (photos)SpaceX's Starship vehicle gleams in the sunrise over the company's Starbase facility in South Texas, where the vehicle waits ready to make its debut test flight.
Weiterlesen »
SpaceX gets federal approval for South Texas launch of Starship, world's most powerful rocketSpaceX gets federal approval for South Texas launch of Starship, the world's most powerful rocket
Weiterlesen »