The aviation regulator last week issued SpaceX a modified Part 450 launch license, allowing the firm to conduct multiple missions of Starship and the Super Heavy booster under the configuration and mission profile they will use on their upcoming seventh test flight
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,” said Kelvin Coleman, FAA associate administrator for commercial space transportation, in a Dec. 17 statement.
The agency in recent months has taken heat from SpaceX and U.S. lawmakers for what they characterize as unnecessary delays to the Starship test program.
For Flight 7, Starship and Super Heavy are expected to launch from SpaceX’s Starbase launch pad in Boca Chica, Texas. Starship will fly about halfway around the globe into a water landing in the Indian Ocean. Super Heavy, meanwhile, will return to the launch site, where SpaceX will attempt to catch it as it slows from supersonic speeds.
As early as mid-2027, a Starship human landing system (HLS) will deposit the crew at the lunar south pole, where it will explore the region’s shadowy craters in search of water ice. Before then, though, SpaceX will need to demonstrate a few more key maneuvers and send Starship on a test mission to the moon.
According to documents shared with the FAA by NASA, SpaceX is eyeing January 11 for the launch of Flight 7. The space agency requested an exemption that would allow its specially equipped Gulfstream V to collect high-resolution thermal imagery as Starship reenters the atmosphere. To capture it, NASA would require the spacecraft to turn off all of its lights and land when the sun is down.
For Flight 7, the FAA also added two new test-induced damage exceptions, which allow SpaceX to avoid a mishap investigation even when certain Starship components fail during a mission.
Reports indicate that SpaceX has been actively conducting critical tests to ensure the readiness of their spacecraft. These include single-engine and full six-engine static fire tests for the upper stage of the Starship, alongside a successful static fire test of the Super Heavy first-stage booster. Regulatory bodies, like the FAA, have also shown support by authorizing the use of specific ship and booster configurations for the seventh mission, signaling confidence in SpaceX’s revisions and preparations. Additionally, SpaceX has publicized future plans to significantly increase the frequency of Starship launches, aiming for as many as 25 flights in 2025—setting the stage for further innovation and reduced costs in space traversal.
Politically, SpaceX’s advancement in space capabilities could alter international space exploration dynamics, influencing related policies and regulatory frameworks. Technologically, their aggressive development and testing strategies might propel innovations not only for SpaceX but across the aerospace industry, facilitating the emergence of new space-based technologies for various applications. In the long-term, the progress in Starship’s development is poised to play a critical role in humanity’s broader ambitions, such as lunar exploration, Mars colonization, and ultimately, expanding human presence across the solar system.
The Starship is a reusable, two-stage super heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by SpaceX. It consists of a Super Heavy first stage and a Starship second stage. The Starship is designed to be the most powerful rocket ever built, capable of carrying up to 100 tons of payload to Earth orbit.
Starship Flight 7 is the upcoming seventh test flight of the Starship rocket. It is scheduled to launch from Starbase, Texas on January 11, 2025. The mission will be a suborbital flight, with the Starship reaching an altitude of about 60 miles (100 km). The Starship will then return to Earth and land in the Gulf of Mexico.
Here are some of the key details of Starship Flight 7:
- Launch date: January 11, 2025
- Launch site: Starbase, Texas
- Rocket: SpaceX Starship
- Payload: None
- Mission duration: About 10 minutes
- Landing site: Gulf of Mexico
Starship Flight 7 is a major milestone in the development of the Starship rocket. It will be the first time that the Starship has been launched with a Super Heavy booster, and it will also be the first time that the Starship has been launched from Starbase. The success of this flight will pave the way for future Starship missions, including missions to the Moon and Mars.
You can find more information about Starship Flight 7 on the SpaceX website
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