US FAA May Approve SpaceX Starship 5 License This Month

JAKARTA The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) may approve SpaceX's Starship 5 launch license as soon as this month, according to a source quoted on Tuesday, October 8. Previously, the FAA said it did not expect a decision regarding this license until the end of November.

SpaceX stated on social media that Starship's fifth flight test could be carried out as early as October 13, depending on regulators' approval. Even so, the FAA on Tuesday only confirmed that it was still reviewing the mission and would make a decision once all licensing requirements were met, without specifying the November timeframe.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has strongly criticized the FAA, including for a fine of 633,000 US dollars over the issue of launching and delaying Starship 5. Musk even asked for the resignation of FAA Administrator Mike totaling and threatened to sue the agency.

SpaceX previously suggested that the postponement of FAA approval was due to "excessive environmental analysis." However,ola explained in a congressional hearing that the delay was related to SpaceX's failure to complete analysis of the timely sonic explosion for the Starship 5.

In an invitation to VIP guests, SpaceX targeted a launch this Sunday, although they acknowledged there was a possibility the launch could not be carried out in the first attempt.

On Sunday, October 6, the FAA also said that SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket could launch again for the mission of the European Space Agency's Hera spacecraft from Florida on Monday, October 7.