SpaceX rocketeers get fresh FAA license for next Starship launch
- Reference: 1734550207
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2024/12/18/faa_issues_a_license_for/
- Source link:
The license modification, which authorizes SpaceX to launch multiple missions on the Flight 7 mission profile, was awarded to Elon Musk's company less than a month after it [1]launched Flight 6 , which, while not repeating the feat of catching the returning Super Heavy booster in the arms of the launch tower, was otherwise very successful.
Associate administrator for Commercial Space Transportation Kelvin B Coleman said, "The FAA continues to increase efficiencies in our licensing determination activities to meet the needs of the commercial space transportation industry.
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"This license modification that we are issuing is well ahead of the Starship Flight 7 launch date and is another example of the FAA’s commitment to enable safe space transportation."
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SpaceX has yet to confirm the launch date of the Flight 7. The basic mission profile appears similar to previous tests – a launch from Boca Chica, Texas, a return to the launch site of the Super Heavy booster for another catch attempt, and a water landing for Starship in the Indian Ocean.
SpaceX has already conducted a [5]static fire of the Super Heavy booster to be used for Flight 7, as well as a [6]static fire of Starship itself. On December 17, the company [7]said it had also conducted a single-engine static fire on Starship to demonstrate a flight-like start-up. While there are differences between a sea-level start-up and one in space, the demonstration will build confidence in the system.
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The flight will be the first of SpaceX's block 2 Starship, which will be able to carry more propellant and which features updated flap designs. The changes mean that another sub-orbital flight will be required to revalidate the systems as well as the vehicle's design.
[9]Blue Origin's New Glenn will launch any day now – but it better hurry up
[10]Europe signs off on €10.6B IRIS² satellite broadband deal
[11]Elon Musk tops US political donor list with $270M+ for Team Trump
[12]Altman to Musk: Don't go full supervillain – that's so un-American
After the targeted ocean landing of Starship as part of the sixth flight test, Musk [13]said the company planned one more ocean landing and, if that went well, would attempt catching future Starships with the tower.
The FAA issuing this license gives SpaceX leeway to repeat the Flight 7 profile until the company can move to the next stage of development, presumably reaching orbit and subsequently catching the Starship on its return. While a launch date has yet to be set, January 2025 seems most likely, although squeezing one more flight test into 2024 is not outside of the realm of possibility. ®
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[1] https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/20/spacex_starship_success/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Z2NUGYV9VxBt4bCF0GrFZQAAAI8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Z2NUGYV9VxBt4bCF0GrFZQAAAI8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Z2NUGYV9VxBt4bCF0GrFZQAAAI8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1866205160693010587
[6] https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1868436135468552361
[7] https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1869080468160995439
[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Z2NUGYV9VxBt4bCF0GrFZQAAAI8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/11/blue_origin_new_glenn/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/16/europe_iris2_broadband_deal/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/07/elon_election_spending/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/05/altman_musk_unamerican/
[13] https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1859036912348262787
[14] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: "The FAA continues to increase efficiencies"
Good. It should take less time to issue a permit than it does to build the rocket.
Re: "The FAA continues to increase efficiencies"
So if I decided to knock out some sort of aircraft in my back garden in a few hours, I should get my permits by close of business the same day?
How much can one person legally pollute the air?
just ask musk, the single most polluting person on the planet.
While other organizations talk and simulate
SpaceX is out there level-grinding and building up more EXP than everyone else combined.
The difference is so pronounced. NASA notes a heat shield problem, has 100 different labs analyze it. They're not even planning a real-world test before having astronauts trust their lives to whatever fix is proposed:
https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/06/nasa_orion_heatshield_investigation/
SpaceX has a heat shield problem, they create an engineering fix, slap it on the next rocket (along with deliberately degraded tiles), and perform a real-world test within a few months. The heat shield will go through tests on real spaceships doing real re-entries through real atmosphere at least a dozen more times before humans are placed at risk.
Re: While other organizations talk and simulate
Some organisations operate based on the hard lessons they've learned that cost lives.
Others throw shit at the wall to see if it sticks, and whatever happens deliberate or not claim that was the plan all along.
'Move fast and break things' isn't a great strategy if breaking things has real consequences.
Re: While other organizations talk and simulate
Yeah but if you're already going to break the thing on landing and lose it, you may as well try to break it on the way down, if it survives you have more data, if it doesn't .. well thats data too.
Dont forget the USSR was planning 10-12 launches of the N1 moon rocket before they'd consider sticking a crew on it and going for the moon. so its hardly a new concept.
Icon... because you know.....
"The FAA continues to increase efficiencies"
AKA "Please don't fire us Mr. Musk".