The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) may approve a license for SpaceX’s Starship 5 launch as early as this month, a source told Reuters. This development comes after the FAA initially indicated that a decision would not be expected until late November. SpaceX announced on social media that it aims to launch Starship’s fifth flight test as soon as October 13, pending regulatory approval.
The FAA is currently reviewing the proposed mission and will decide once all licensing requirements are met, without specifying the previous November timeline. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has criticized the FAA for its delays and a proposed $633,000 fine over launch issues, calling for the resignation of FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker.
The FAA has cited SpaceX’s failure to conduct a timely sonic boom analysis and other violations as reasons for the delays. Meanwhile, SpaceX is also targeting a Monday launch for its Falcon 9 rocket, which is set to carry the European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft after addressing a recent second-stage malfunction.
