The Federal Aviation Administration on Saturday approved a license for SpaceX’s Starship 5 launch set for Sunday, after earlier saying it did not expect to make a decision until late November.
Reuters reported this week for the first time the faster-than-expected schedule after the FAA proposed a much longer review in September.
SpaceX has targeted Sunday for the launch and said a 30-minute launch window opens at 7:00 a.m. CT.
The FAA said on Saturday that SpaceX had “met all safety, environmental and other licensing requirements for the fifth Starship test” and also approved the Starship 6 mission profile.
The Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket are a fully reusable system designed to carry crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon and beyond.
The fifth Starship/Super Heavy test flight from Boca Chica, Texas includes a return to the launch site of the Super Heavy booster rocket for a launch tower capture attempt, and a landing of the Starship vehicle in the Indian Ocean. Western Australia
The FAA said that if SpaceX chooses an uncontrolled entry “it must notify the FAA of that decision prior to launch, the loss of the Starship vehicle will be considered a foreseeable event, and an accident investigation will not be required.”
On Friday, the FAA approved the return of the SpaceX Falcon 9 vehicle to flight after reviewing and approving the findings of the SpaceX-led investigation and corrective actions for the September 28 mishap.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has sharply criticized the FAA, including proposing to fine SpaceX $633,000 for launch problems and delays in getting the Starship 5 license approved, which the company says is ready to launch in August. Musk has called for the resignation of FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker and threatened to sue the agency.
