SpaceX gets US government green light for Starship launch
SpaceX has cleared the last hurdle to the launch of its new giant starship from Texas already next week with the first test flight.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued the long-awaited permit on Friday. SpaceX announced that Starship – the world’s largest and most powerful rocket – could lift off as soon as Monday.
The 394-foot (120-meter) rocket carries no people or satellites. SpaceX is trying to send a spacecraft to the top of a huge booster around the world, from the southern tip of Texas all the way to Hawaii. The first stage is thrown off in the Gulf of Mexico and the spacecraft into the Pacific Ocean. No landing is attempted during this debut.
It is the first attempt to launch a full-sized starship, made of shiny stainless steel and powered by methane-fueled engines.
The FAA said SpaceX had met all requirements, including safety and environmental requirements. The license is valid for five years.
“We carefully analyze the risks to public safety during each phase of the mission and require SpaceX to mitigate those risks,” the FAA added.
Musk envisions using starships to send people to the moon and Mars. NASA has already acquired the Starship, which will take astronauts to the surface of the moon as early as 2025.
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