SpaceX Gets FAA Nod for Third Starship Test Flight

SpaceX has been given the go-ahead by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to proceed with its third Starship test flight. Scheduled for March 14th at 8AM ET, this marks a significant milestone in SpaceX's continued efforts to advance its Starship program.

(Photo : SpaceX from Unsplash)

SpaceX is planning to launch 24 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket. The liftoff will start from Cape Canaveral, a usual spot for such events.

Securing Approval from FAA

After securing approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), SpaceX is gearing up for its third Starship test flight. The launch is scheduled for March 14th, with a 110-minute launch window opening at 8:00 AM ET.

Given the unpredictability of previous attempts, enthusiasts are advised to rise early to witness the event, as launches could be canceled or occur at the start of the window.

FAA announced that SpaceX has fulfilled all safety, environmental, and financial requirements for its upcoming Starship test flight. While the initial two Starship launches achieved certain mission objectives, both ended in explosions.

The first launch not only caused substantial damage to the launchpad but also resulted in a 385-acre debris field, with concrete fragments thrown up to 2,680 feet from the site and igniting a 3.5-acre fire.

Before the second attempt last spring, the FAA issued a list of 63 corrective actions for SpaceX to address concerns such as propellant leakage.

The second flight test of Starship marked significant milestones and yielded invaluable data, driving the rapid advancement of the spacecraft.

These tests remain crucial experiments, conducted not in a controlled laboratory or on a test stand, but in a real flight environment with actual flight hardware, aimed at maximizing our understanding and progress.

SpaceX's Third Launch

SpaceX has outlined a shift in strategy for its upcoming third launch, opting for a splashdown in the Indian Ocean rather than a location closer to Hawaii, as in previous attempts. This decision aims to facilitate in-space engine burns while prioritizing public safety.

The upcoming third flight test seeks to capitalize on insights gained from previous flights while pursuing several ambitious goals.

These include executing a successful ascent burn for both stages, operating and closing Starship's payload door, demonstrating propellant transfer during the upper stage's coast phase, initiating the first-ever re-light of a Raptor engine in space, and orchestrating a controlled reentry of Starship.

Additionally, a new trajectory will be employed, directing Starship to splash down in the Indian Ocean. This revised flight path allows for the exploration of innovative techniques such as in-space engine burns, all while prioritizing public safety.

The iterative development strategy, characterized by its quick and continuous improvement cycle, serves as the foundation for SpaceX's groundbreaking innovations such as Falcon, Dragon, and Starlink.

This ongoing process of enhancement is vital as we strive to construct a fully reusable transportation system capable of ferrying crew and cargo to Earth orbit, aiding humanity in lunar exploration, and eventually facilitating voyages to Mars and beyond.