SpaceX Starship will be ready for the first orbital flight in July

In preparation for the first flight test of its Starship rocket, SpaceX is closing in on a key milestone in its vehicle's development. The Federal Aviation Administration issued environmental impact standards this week that the company must meet by July. Elon Musk predicted on Tuesday that the firm will have a prototype rocket "ready to fly" by July, with his space business aiming to launch the vehicle into orbit for the first time.

The first orbital test of the Starship was expected to take place as soon as last summer, but delays in the development process and regulatory approval pushed back that timeline. On Monday, the FAA made a key environmental decision that concluded a lengthy evaluation of the program. SpaceX must fulfill more than 75 of the FAA's requirements before applying for a launch license for the maiden flight test.

Elon Musk claimed on Twitter that he visited the SpaceX facility in Boca Chica, Texas, Monday night “reviewing progress” on the rocket. He stated that the firm will have a second Starship stack ready to fly in August and plans to fly missions "monthly thereafter."

Elon Musk's SpaceX is working on a nearly 400-foot-tall reusable rocket that will transport goods and people to other planets. The Starship rocketship and Super Heavy booster are fueled by SpaceX's Raptor engines. Starship prototypes have undergone several high-altitude flights; however, it remains unclear whether they will reach orbit.