Sun, Jun 05, 2022
SpaceX Starship Launch Faces FAA Delay. Again
Getting to space is difficult. The technical, gravitational, atmospheric, aerodynamic, and fiscal challenges are immense—and then there’s the red-tape …
The Federal Aviation Administration has delayed the release of its final, Programmatic Environmental Assessment of SpaceX's Starship development program until next month. The move—which the FAA attributes to ongoing interagency consultation—will see the originally scheduled release date of 31 May pushed back to 13 June.
Completion of the environmental assessment—which is but one of the regulatory hurdles SpaceX must clear prior to proceeding with testing of its Starship/Super-Heavy-Booster prototype—will not guarantee that the FAA will issue a launch license. SpaceX's application must also meet FAA safety, risk and financial responsibility requirements.
The vehicles SpaceX intends to launch, Starship 24 and Super Heavy Booster 7, feature extensive design changes, including an upgraded version of the Raptor engine.
If the mission goes to plan, the maiden flight of SpaceX’s two-stage launch vehicle will see the booster separate from Starship main-craft 170-seconds after lift-off, then return safely and land approximately 32-kilometers offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. The second stage will subsequently achieve orbit before performing a powered, targeted splashdown approximately one-hundred-kilometers off the northwest coast of Kauai (Hawaii).
Space Exploration Technologies Corp., known as SpaceX, is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars. SpaceX operates from multiple launch-sites on the East Coast of the U.S. The company also operates from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, and its Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas.
More News
Hazardous Weather Information Summary of significant meteorological information (SIGMET/WS), convective significant meteorological information (convective SIGMET/WST), urgent pilot>[...]
Aero Linx: The T-6 Racing Association The T-6 Racing Association is all about T-6‘s and racing. Our mission is to bring great racing to our fans in Reno and other venues wher>[...]
Also: Electra Aero, AMO-CBP v Smugglers, Naval King Airs, Boeing Deal To the surprise of everyone involved, Waco Kitchen shut down both airport operations with little warning and h>[...]
Also: WACO Kitchen Bails, French SportPlane Mfr to FL, Dynon-Advance Flight Systems, Innovation Preview Bobby Bailey, a bit of a fixture in sport aviation circles for his work with>[...]
Also: Virgin Galactic, B-29 Doc to Allentown, Erickson Fire-Fighters Bought, FAA Reauthorization After dealing with a big letdown after the unexpected decision by Skyreach to disco>[...]