Skip to main content

FAA is reportedly investigating SpaceX over its Starship tests

spaceX starship
The SN8 Starship prototype explodes as it lands hard following a high-altitude test flight in December 2020. SpaceX

SpaceX’s high-altitude test of its Starship prototype SN8 in December 2020 ended in an explosive fireball, though company CEO Elon Musk seemed happy with the data collected during the test. But the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) which oversees regulations for rocket launches is concerned about the explosion and other issues, according to reports which say SpaceX is now the subject of an FAA investigation.

As reported by The Verge, the explosion in December is not the FAA’s only concern. The agency is reportedly also concerned about breaches of SpaceX’s test license, and has opened an investigation into the company. The exact details of what SpaceX supposedly did in violation of its license has not yet been made public.

Recommended Videos

“The FAA will continue to work with SpaceX to evaluate additional information provided by the company as part of its application to modify its launch license,” FAA spokesman Steve Kulm said, as reported by The Verge. “While we recognize the importance of moving quickly to foster growth and innovation in commercial space, the FAA will not compromise its responsibility to protect public safety. We will approve the modification only after we are satisfied that SpaceX has taken the necessary steps to comply with regulatory requirements.”

The issues with the FAA put the brakes on plans for another high-altitude test of the newer SN9 prototype, which had been expected to go ahead this week. The test had to be postponed after the FAA lifted the temporary flight restrictions in the airspace around the test site.

In this context, CEO Elon Musk was critical of the FAA on Twitter, saying its space division has “a fundamentally broken regulatory structure” and that its rules were not reflective of the modern situation of multiple expendable launches being performed regularly.

Unlike its aircraft division, which is fine, the FAA space division has a fundamentally broken regulatory structure.

Their rules are meant for a handful of expendable launches per year from a few government facilities. Under those rules, humanity will never get to Mars.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 28, 2021

Now, SpaceX has two prototypes ready to test — both the SN9 and the SN10. Both prototypes have been seen side by side on the SpaceX pad at Boca Chica. Space.com speculates that the next test flight could go ahead next week, from Monday, February 1, as long as the approvals from the FAA are granted in time.

Georgina Torbet
Georgina has been the space writer at Digital Trends space writer for six years, covering human space exploration, planetary…
SpaceX captures Starship booster for the first time in historic test
Mechazilla catching Starship booster stage.

SpaceX has scripted history with the fifth test of its massive Starship rocket system. The giant rocket launched from the Starbase site in South Texas earlier today, and following a brief trip to space, the reusable spacecraft made a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

But the more remarkable feat was the successful capture of the Super Heavy booster, a fully reusable first stage that stands at a towering 71 meters and draws power from 33 Raptor engines. Up till now, the boosters have splashed into the water (or got damaged), but this time, SpaceX managed to capture it using giant mechanical arms.

Read more
How to watch SpaceX’s fifth Starship test flight on Sunday
spacex starship fifth flight live stream 5 website desktop 1 12e2f537a0 jpg

SpaceX is getting ready to launch its mighty Starship on its fifth test flight, scheduled for Sunday, October 13. With a mostly-successful fourth test flight behind it, the Starship has already been into orbit and returned to Earth mostly intact. This time, SpaceX will be hoping to catch its Super Heavy booster as well as taking the upper stage Starship into orbit.

The exact date of this fifth test flight has been delayed due to issues with licensing from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), but SpaceX has now confirmed it is targeting 8 a.m. ET (5 a.m. PT) Sunday for its test.

Read more
SpaceX could launch Starship on 5th test flight much earlier than expected
The world's most powerful rocket on the launchpad.

There’s growing expectation that SpaceX could launch the mighty Starship rocket as early as Sunday, October 13.

SpaceX was informed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) last month that it was unlikely to receive a launch permit until late November as the regulator needed time to complete work on its flight launch assessment.

Read more