The Federal Aviation Administration has delayed reviewing the forthcoming SpaceX launch to March 28. The SpaceX starship launch will see an SN 20 prototype tipped above the Super Heavy booster on an upcoming orbital test flight from Boca Chica, Texas.
However, before said rocket can reach the cosmos, the FAA must first evaluate the launch's various environmental concerns. This includes everything from public safety and health concerns to the overall environmental impact surrounding the use of the reusable rocket and its launch.
This wouldn't be the first time the FAA has postponed an official evaluation date, either, as the administration recently moved the original December 31, 2021, to Feb. 28. In its updated project page, the FAA relays the need "to account for further comment review and ongoing interagency consultations." With nearly 19,000 comments on its first iteration of the environmental review, which was released in Sept of last year, the FAA's investigation will surely require immense consultation before its official release.
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SpaceX head Elon Musk gave a speech last Thursday, Feb. 10, on the reasoning behind this very starship launch, detailing that "it's pretty epic" and that it's "an incredibly important thing for the future of life itself." In regards to the FAA environmental assessment, Musk explained that the estimated end date would be closer to March, thus denoting the FAA's most recent update.
If, however, the FAA finds the forthcoming SpaceX launch not to meet its environmental standards and other assorted requirements, SpaceX does have its secondary option. Amid the live presentation last Thursday, Musk voiced that SpaceX already has approval at Cape Canaveral in Florida.
This aforementioned option would require the company to build yet another tower at the secondary location, thus pushing the starship launch even further. With much of the work for SpaceX being primarily based at Starbase in Texas, moving to Florida would be a significant time constraint, but still only highlights Musk's commitment to space exploration.
The FAA's final assessment wouldn't give SpaceX the final go-ahead, either. Following the environmental assessment via the FAA, SpaceX would still require an official launch date despite Musk's previous statements of having all hardware on track per regulatory approval. With that being said, the SpaceX starship launch will still take some time before it makes its orbital flight into the stars.
