The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted Elon Musk’s SpaceX a license on Thursday to conduct an experimental orbital demonstration and recovery test of its Starship rocket in Q1 2022.

The FCC application shows the orbital launch could take place anytime between December 20, 2021 and March 1, 2022, from SpaceX’s testing facility in Boca Chica, Texas.

Musk’s company must still wait for the Federal Aviation Administration to finish its environmental review before Starship is allowed to leave the ground.

SpaceX is now in possession of all regulatory approvals required to fly its large rocket into space, as the FAA had announced that they would finish the review by December 31, according to November’s announcement.

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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted Elon Musk’s SpaceX a license on Thursday to conduct an experimental orbital demonstration and recovery test of its Starship rocket in Q1 2022

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted Elon Musk’s SpaceX a license on Thursday to conduct an experimental orbital demonstration and recovery test of its Starship rocket in Q1 2022

Musk has been adamant that a rocket launch would be possible in January 2022, so this news may not surprise him.

The billionaire stated last month that Starship would make its first orbital flight in 2022’s first three months. On November 17, he lowered this to January.

Speaking during an online meeting held by the US government’s National Academies, Musk said the first orbital launch of Starship – which he called a ‘very profound vehicle’ that’s making ‘very rapid’ progress – would ‘hopefully’ happen in January ‘or perhaps February’ 2022 and could be followed by 12 or more launches throughout the rest of next year.

‘We’re close to our initial orbital launch,’ he said. We’re looking forward to the first orbital launch in January.

The FCC application shows the orbital launch could take place anytime between December 20, 2021 and March 1, 2022, from SpaceX’s testing facility in Boca Chica, Texas

The FCC application shows the orbital launch could take place anytime between December 20, 2021 and March 1, 2022, from SpaceX’s testing facility in Boca Chica, Texas

The news, however, may not be a surprise to Musk who has continuously said a launch was possible by January 2022. Last month, the billionaire said Starship's first flight into orbit would come in the first three months of 2022 and on November 17 he narrowed this down to January

Musk, who had repeatedly stated that a launch would be possible by January 2022 is not surprised by the news. The billionaire had predicted that Starship’s first orbital flight would take place in 2022’s first three months. On November 17, he made a more precise prediction, saying it could be January.

Musk stated that there is a lot at stake with the first launch. Musk said, “So while I wouldn’t say it’s likely to succeed, I believe we’ll make significant progress.”

Thursday’s news now puts SpaceX one step closer to hitting Musk’s January goal.

The FCC application states, ‘trajectory data [of the orbital flight] will be provided directly to NTIA, USAF and NASA.’

SpaceX now needs to be given the FAA’s green light.

The assessment reviews the impact on environment of SpaceX’s original mission profile, debris recovery, road closures around Boca Chica in Texas (where SpaceX is located), and other issues.

Starship is a program that develops vehicles to interplanetary transport cargo and people to Mars, the Moon and other planets.

However, the Musk-led company still needs to wait for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to complete its environmental assessment before Starship can leave the ground

Musk’s company must still wait for the Federal Aviation Administration to finish its environmental review before Starship is allowed to leave the ground.

SpaceX will conduct several tests to perfect its rockets over the coming years. Each launch will need a FAA permit.

Musk appeared to be appreciative of FAA’s timetable, but the billionaire was not always happy with the agency.

He blasted the FAA via Twitter in January for their rules regarding space launches, which caused a delay to SpaceX’s Starship Serial Number 9 rocket (SN9).

Musk, who has been critical of FAA regulations in the past, seemed delighted by the news that the FAA review would be completed on Dec 31

Musk, an FAA critic in the past seemed thrilled by news of the FAA review being completed Dec 31

Although Musk seemed appreciative of the FAA's timeline, the billionaire has not always been happy with the agency. In January, he bashed the FAA on Twitter for its rules regarding space launches that caused a delay in SpaceX launching its Starship Serial Number 9 (SN9) rocket

Musk appeared to be appreciative for the FAA’s timetable, but the billionaire was not always happy with the FAA. Musk criticized the FAA’s rules for space launches on Twitter in January. This delayed SpaceX’s launch of its Starship Serial Number 9 rocket (SN9).

Musk tweets, “Unlike its airplane division, that is fine,” the FAA space Division has a “fundamentally broken regulatory structure,” Musk said.

“Their rules were created for only a small number of launches each year from few government facilities. These rules will prevent humanity from reaching Mars.

Musk’s anger is being vented online by the FAA, which has been quiet. But the FAA said in January that they would be continuing to work with SpaceX on safety matters before authorizing the next test flight.

The delay could be caused by SpaceX’s last test flight of Starship SN8. It traveled seven miles in the air, and then exploded at the launch pad. This was Musk’s ‘amazing test’.

The review is over SN9's crash-landing on February 2. SpaceX eventually launched its SN9 for its first high-altitude test, but the massive rocket was unable to maneuver into the vertical position before landing on the launch pad and exploded upon landing

This review covers SN9’s February 2nd crash landing. SpaceX finally launched its SN9 to its high-altitude first test. But the rocket proved too large for vertical maneuvering and exploded when it landed on the launchpad.

One month later, FAA stated that they would be overseeing the investigation of the SN9’s crash-landing incident on February 2.

SpaceX launched the SN9 rocket for the first high-altitude flight test. However, the huge rocket could not maneuver to the vertical position and exploded on landing.

Musk once again faced off against the FAA on July 7, when it warned SpaceX about the inadequacy of its environmental review regarding a new tower built at the Boca Chica launch area in Texas. SpaceX may be forced to down this tower by the FAA.

The agency must decide if it can issue a “finding of not significant” or if it requires a deeper review (an environmental impact statement) to ground the Starship further.