Elon Musk, SpaceX’s boss, had high expectations for an orbital Starship Launch in January. But the Federal Aviation Administration has other plans.
Tuesday’s announcement by the FAA indicated that it will now issue its final environmental review, on February 28th 2022. The previous deadline was December 31st 2021.
The change means SpaceX’s Starship cannot launch until the review is completed.
Steve Kulm, public affairs specialist for FAA, said in a statement: ‘Under the oversight of the FAA, SpaceX is currently drafting responses for the over 18,000 public comments received on the Draft PEA and continues to prepare the Final PEA for the FAA’s review and acceptance.’
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The FAA has announced Tuesday that it will now issue its final environmental review by February 28th 2022. This is a change from the December 31st 2021 date.
This assessment examines the environmental impact of SpaceX’s first mission profile. It also reviews debris recovery and local road closings in Boca Chica (Texas), where SpaceX’s launch site is.
Musk claimed in November following the news that the review would end on December 31 that he had his sights set on January for Starship Launch. This was after the fact that the previous event occurred on May 15.
A billionaire spoke during an online meeting organized by the US government’s National Academies. He said he felt ‘comfortable” with the timeframe but isn’t betting on the success of the first orbital flight.
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.”
This assessment examines the environmental impact of SpaceX’s first mission profile. It also reviews debris recovery and local road closings in Boca Chica (Texas), where SpaceX’s launch site is.
However, Tuesday’s FAA announcement is delaying the mission for about two months.
‘As previously announced, the FAA had planned to release the Final PEA in on December 31, 2021,’ the FAA shared in a statement.
‘However, due to the high volume of comments submitted on the Draft PEA, discussions and consultation efforts with consulting parties, the FAA is announcing an update to the schedule.’
Musk has however been given permission by the Feder Communications Commission to perform an orbital and recovery demonstration of the Starship rocket. This will be in Q1 2022.
The FCC announced on December 9 that the test flight is cleared for lift-off starting on December 20 – but SpaceX still needs FAA’s approval to move forward with the mission.
Musk however has been granted permission from Feder Communications Commission (FCC), to carry out an experiment in orbital testing and recovery of Starship’s rocket. It will take place in Q1-2022
Starship develops interplanetary cargo vehicles and human spaceflight to Mars, Mars, and beyond.
SpaceX intends to launch several rocket tests over the next few decades in order to improve its rockets. All of these launches will require an FAA permit.
Musk was appreciative that the FAA had a timeline but the billionaire is not happy with it.
He blasted the FAA via Twitter in January for their rules about space launches, which caused a delay to SpaceX’s Starship Serial Number 9 rocket launch (SN9).
Musk wrote, “Unlike its plane division, which was fine, but the FAA’s space division has fundamentally flawed regulatory structures,”
Last Starship to launch on May 5th. After its journey of six miles toward space, the massive rocket made a flawless landing.
The rules only allow for limited number of launch attempts per year by a select few government agencies. These rules will prevent humanity from reaching Mars.
While Musk vents frustrations on the internet, the FAA is not speaking out. However, DailyMail.com reported that the FAA told DailyMail.com in January that it would continue to work with SpaceX and resolve safety concerns before approving the next flight.
SpaceX may have delayed the flight due to its previous Starship SN8 test flight. The spacecraft traveled approximately seven miles through the air before exploding on the launchpad in what Musk described as an ‘amazing test.
One month later, FAA stated that they would be overseeing the investigation into the SN9’s February 2 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.
Musk was back at war with the FAA again in July when the FAA warned SpaceX that the agency’s environmental review for a tower to be built on the Boca Chica launch location in Texas was incomplete. SpaceX could then be ordered to remove the tower.
The agency must decide if it can issue a “finding of not significant” or a more thorough review. An environmental impact statement would further ground the Starship.