Daily Mail By Stacy Liberatore 12/9/2021
Elon Musk's SpaceX gets green light from the FCC for orbital launch of Starship early next year - but it will still need to pass FAA environmental review before the rocket can leave the ground
• SpaceX has been granted FCC approval to perform an orbital Starship launch
• The application shows the orbital launch could take place anytime between December 20, 2021 and March 1, 2022
• SpaceX still needs to wait for the FAA to complete its environmental assessment before Starship can leave the ground, which is set for December 31
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted Elon Musk’s SpaceX a license on Thursday to conduct an experimental orbital demonstration and recovery test of its Starship rocket in Q1 2022.
The FCC application shows the orbital launch could take place anytime between December 20, 2021 and March 1, 2022, from SpaceX’s testing facility in Boca Chica, Texas.
However, the Musk-led company still needs to wait for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to complete its environmental assessment before Starship can leave the ground.
The FAA announced in November that it would complete the review on December 31, which means SpaceX has all the regulatory approvals needed to send its massive rocket into space.
The news, however, may not be a surprise to Musk who has continuously said a launch was possible by January 2022.
Last month, the billionaire said Starship's first flight into orbit would come in the first three months of 2022 and on November 17 he narrowed this down to January.
Speaking during an online meeting held by the US government's National Academies, Musk said the first orbital launch of Starship – which he called a 'very profound vehicle' that's making 'very rapid' progress – would 'hopefully' happen in January 'or perhaps February' 2022 and could be followed by 12 or more launches throughout the rest of next year.
'We’re close to our initial orbital launch,' he said. 'The first orbital flight we're hoping to do in January.
More:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-10294167/Elon-Musks-SpaceX-gets-green-light-FCC-orbital-launch-Starship-early-year.html
