Starship could go into space in three days - FAA approves new test flight date

A few days ago, SpaceX announced on its official X social media page that Starship will try to fly into space on 17 November 2023. Now the date has been approved by the US Federal Aviation Administration, but there is a nuance.

Here's What We Know

It's been almost seven months since the first attempt to send Starship into space, although Elon Musk promised to fix all the problems within weeks. The FAA has announced that Starship will be able to make a test orbital flight on 17 November. The backup dates are 18 and 19 November.

It's important to note that the appearance of the dates in the air traffic control plan doesn't mean the launch will necessarily happen. The dates have not yet been made official. In addition, the FAA is consulting with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

The first attempt to send Starship into orbit ended when the most powerful rocket system in history exploded at an altitude of about 40 kilometres. The explosion itself was not the only problem. Firstly, the self-destruct was delayed by a minute. Secondly, the launch pad was destroyed during takeoff. Thirdly, the launch caused environmental damage. It is for this reason that approval of the second attempt must be agreed with environmentalists.

Source: Bloomberg