FAA clearance may come in time for Sunday’s launch

The FAA may issue SpaceX its next license for the Starship vehicle in time for Sunday’s launch attempt, CNBC has learned.

SpaceX and CEO Elon Musk have sharply criticized the FAA in recent weeks, urging the federal regulator to speed up its review of authorization for Starship’s fifth test flight. Last week, the FAA said it did not expect to issue the license before “late November.”

Despite ongoing review, SpaceX released Monday statement Saying that Starship’s fifth spaceflight “could be launched on October 13, pending regulatory approval.” The company did not clarify whether it expects to obtain its license by Sunday.

But a person familiar with the matter said Tuesday that SpaceX’s seemingly aggressive target is possible because the FAA’s review process has accelerated.

Regulators and partner agencies involved in the process conducted assessments more quickly than expected, the person told CNBC, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the final stages of completing a review for the FAA. It’s also possible that any snags this week could sideline Sunday’s attempt and push approval to later this month, noted the person, who requested anonymity to discuss the ongoing federal review.

In an updated statement to CNBC on Tuesday, the FAA removed its previous estimate for November.

“In mid-August, SpaceX submitted new information about its proposed Starship/Super Heavy Flight 5 mission. The FAA continues to review this information. The FAA will make a licensing decision once SpaceX has met all licensing requirements,” the FAA said.

The Fish and Wildlife Service referred CNBC to the FAA in response to a request for comment.

On September 10, SpaceX issued a decision Long blog post Saying the FAA was postponing Starship’s fifth launch due to “redundant environmental analysis,” she claimed the expanded review was “for unreasonable and inflammatory reasons” that presented difficulties in the “current regulatory environment” for companies seeking launch licenses.

The post criticized in part reports that SpaceX violated environmental regulations by using the water deluge system of its Starship launch pad in Texas without a license. but, SpaceX settled the fines Enforced by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency for unauthorized water discharges.

Reuters It first reported that the FAA could approve the license as soon as this month but did not specify whether that could come as soon as Sunday.

SpaceX aims to push development of its massive Starship rocket even further with its fifth flight. It seeks to build on the progress made in June The spacecraft’s fourth test flight – which traveled halfway around the world to make an intentional landing in the Indian Ocean.

“We accept no compromises when it comes to ensuring the safety of the public and our team, and a return will only be attempted if conditions are right,” SpaceX said in a statement describing the flight.

The window opens Sunday at 8 a.m. ET for the launch of the fifth spacecraft from the company’s facility near Brownsville, Texas.

Starship is the longest and most powerful rocket ever launched. The Starship spacecraft, fully stacked on a Super Heavy booster, is 397 feet long and about 30 feet in diameter.

The Starship system is designed to be fully reusable and aims to become a new way to transport goods and people beyond Earth. The rocket is also crucial to NASA’s plan to return astronauts to the moon. SpaceX has won a multibillion-dollar contract from the agency to use Starship as a crewed lunar lander as part of NASA’s Artemis Moon program.