The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, a license to conduct its first-ever Starship rocket flight. Just a few days ago, Musk announced that the rocket was ready for launch. The date for the test flight has been scheduled for April 17, 2023. The FAA has assessed that SpaceX meets all the necessary safety, environmental, political, payload, runway integration, and financial responsibility criteria.
According to SpaceX’s announcement on Twitter, the test flight’s launch window is scheduled between 5:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Central time. The giant rocket is expected to launch from the SpaceX Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, and fly into orbit.
Initially, Musk had planned a March launch, with the rocket flying from Texas to Hawaii on its first-ever orbital flight. However, some unforeseen challenges prompted a rescheduling of the flight launch.
Earlier this year, in January, SpaceX carried out an essential test of the giant rocket, known as the “wet dress rehearsal.” The test’s primary purpose was to go through the launch preparations, mimicking the conditions right before the engines are ignited.
The FAA’s license is valid for five years. SpaceX has met all the necessary requirements, and the Starship test flight is scheduled to take place in April next year. This significant development marks a significant milestone for SpaceX as it rapidly advances towards commercial space travel.
