SpaceX Limited To ONE Starship Launch By New FAA License

After the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted SpaceX the authority to conduct Starship launches from Texas, the agency updated its website with the official license. The FAA had confirmed the approval late evening earlier today as part of an emailed statement to reporters by that added that the agency will also monitor civil air traffic at the time of launch and use time-based procedures to ensure that traffic remains as optimal as possible. SpaceX's license, shared on the FAA's website, shows that an agency inspector must be present on-site at Boca Chica, Texas before Starship can launch and that the company has to meet other environmental requirements.

FAA License Shows SpaceX Is Limited To Launch Only One Starsip Flight

As is the case with FAA licenses, they lay out a broad set of terms that cover what a company is allowed to do and not do as part of its operations. SpaceX's approval for the Boca Chica, Texas site has been under process for years now, after the FAA conducted a detailed environmental review, which had to be revised for the Boca Chica site since SpaceX had originally planned to develop it as its private port but shifted gears to Starship instead.

This led the FAA to inform SpaceX last year that while it did not have to conduct a full environmental assessment, the firm still had to address some of the issues raised. After a detailed commentary period that saw thousands of comments pour in, the FAA finally cleared the Starship site, which led to the environmental approval process.

The lengthy process for a launch license culminated earlier today when the FAA confirmed that it has granted SpaceX approval to launch the Starship from Texas. However, hidden in the details is a caveat that limits the firm's ability to launch multiple times at least for now.

SpaceX's latest picture of the fully stacked Starship rocket shared earlier today as it confirmed that a Monday launch attempt is on the cards. Image: SpaceX

The FAA's authorization, as seen by Wccftech, limits SpaceX from conducting more than one launch from the Texas site. The relevant portion is as follows:

4. Authorization: In accordance with the representations in the Space Exploration Technologies, Corp. application as of the date of this license, and any amendments to the license application or waivers approved by the FAA, in writing, Space Exploration Technologies, Corp. is authorized to conduct launch consisting of:
a. Pre-flight ground operations:
i. Using the Starship-Super Heavy vehicle.
ii. At SpaceX Boca Chica Launch Complex, Boca Chica, Texas.
b. Flight Operations:
i. Using the Starship-Super Heavy vehicle.
ii. From SpaceX Boca Chica Launch Complex, Boca Chica, Texas.
iii. To Gulf of Mexico and Pacific Ocean locations specified in its application.
iv. For the first flight only, unless this license is modified to remove this term.

Other stipulations in the launch license include the presence of an FAA inspector at the time of flight operations and maritime warnings issued by SpaceX 24 hours before a flight. SpaceX is also required to report to the FAA any anomalies that it faces during pre flight ground operations and the expanded rocket stages' landing sites.

The firm's Starship spacecraft and the Super Heavy rocket are currently de-stacked at the launch site, and heading into today's attempt, SpaceX should stack them soon.

Written by Ramish Zafar

Refference- https://wccftech.com