Next Launch Date is Still To Be Determined Despite the License Grant

The FAA recently issued a launch license for SpaceX's next Starship test flight. The final date is still to be determined, though it is unlikely to occur in 2024 with only a few weeks remaining in the year.

"The FAA continues to increase efficiencies in our licensing determination activities to meet the needs of the commercial space transportation industry," stated Kelvin Coleman, the FAA Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation. "This license modification that we are issuing is well ahead of the Starship Flight 7 launch date and is another example of the FAA’s commitment to enable safe space transportation."

Starship’s seventh flight test will be pretty similar to the last two. In October, Flight test 5 delivered the Starship upper stage into a suborbital trajectory leading up to splashdown in the Indian Ocean. Its Super Heavy booster then headed back to the launch site, maneuvering to land in the chopstick-like arms of “Mechazilla”. Flight 6, in November, soft-landed the Starship in the ocean but was unable to get a successful booster catch due to an issue with its sensors.

The next Starship flight will recreate the Indian Ocean splashdown and give another go at catching the Super Heavy booster. It will utilize the Block 2 upper stage Ship 33, which is fresh out of engine testing, and the Block 1 vehicle Booster 14. Though a launch date has not yet been set, the flight is expected to come sometime around January 11.

"The Flight 7 mission profile involves launch of the combined Starship/Super Heavy vehicle from Boca Chica, Texas, a return to the launch site of the Super Heavy booster rocket for a catch attempt by the launch tower, and a water landing of the Starship vehicle in the Indian Ocean west of Australia,” explained the FAA’s license update.

The Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy booster make up the world’s tallest rocket in history, standing nearly 400 feet tall when stacked. The booster’s 33 engines also produce record-breaking power, generating 16.7 million pounds of thrust at full throttle.

Starship has already been designated as the rocket to deliver NASA’s Artemis 3 astronauts to the moon in 2027. To prepare, SpaceX is attempting to speed up its test campaign in 2025 by launching up to 24 flights.

FMI: www.spacex.com