SpaceX has received approval from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to launch its Starship megarocket, Flight 8, on Monday evening. The launch, scheduled to take place at 6:30 p.m. EST, will be the vehicle’s eighth attempt and marks a significant milestone in its development.
The FAA has granted permission for the launch after determining that SpaceX met all safety, environmental, and licensing requirements for the suborbital test flight. This approval comes following a partially successful previous launch on January 16, where Starship experienced a propellant leak and exploded over the Atlantic Ocean.
During Flight 8, SpaceX will attempt to catch its Super Heavy booster on the “chopstick” arms of Starbase’s launch tower. The vehicle’s upper stage, known as Ship, will travel around Earth before splashing down in the Indian Ocean off Western Australia. This mission aims to deploy four mock payloads, including versions of SpaceX’s Starlink broadband satellites.
The FAA has authorized the investigation into the January 16th anomaly, which is ongoing despite the newly granted approval. The launch marks a significant step forward for SpaceX as it continues to push the boundaries of space exploration and development.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/private-spaceflight/spacex-gets-faa-approval-for-flight-8-of-starship-megarocket