The Federal Aviation Administration has given final approval to SpaceX for its next Starship launch, scheduled for no earlier than next week. The FAA approved the return to flight for Starship after a comprehensive safety review of the previous launch, which suffered an “energetic event” that caused a loss of control. The agency determined that SpaceX had satisfactorily addressed the causes of the mishap and allowed the Starship vehicle to proceed with the upcoming Flight 9.
The FAA’s approval comes with some changes, including expanded aircraft hazard areas (AHAs) due to increased probability of failure in previous launches. The AHA for Flight 9 extends east from Starbase for about 1,600 nautical miles, including the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands. SpaceX plans to use a previously flown Super Heavy booster on this launch, which led to the expansion.
The FAA’s approval is contingent on SpaceX meeting all safety requirements, environmental regulations, and licensing standards. While an official launch date has not been announced, temporary flight restrictions published by the FAA indicate that the company is working towards a launch as soon as May 27.
Source: https://spacenews.com/faa-provides-final-approval-for-next-starship-launch