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SpaceX’s Starship SN9 prototype has been cleared for liftoff.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted a launch license for SN9’s high-altitude check flight, which is designed to take the shiny silver car about 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) into the South Texas skies.
That flight will happen immediately (Feb. 2) from SpaceX’s services close to the Gulf Coast hamlet of Boca Chica Village, if all goes in response to plan. You may watch it reside here at Space.com, courtesy of SpaceX, or directly via the company, when it occurs. (SpaceX has not but introduced a goal liftoff time.)
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“The FAA decided late Monday (Feb. 1) that SpaceX complies with all security and associated federal laws and is allowed to conduct Starship SN9 flight operations in accordance with its launch license,” an company spokesperson stated in an emailed assertion.
SpaceX had hoped to launch SN9 final week however needed to stand down whereas awaiting FAA approval, prompting SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk to express frustration with the delay. We now know what took so lengthy, nevertheless: SpaceX violated its FAA launch license with the Dec. 9 check flight of SN9’s predecessor, SN8, as first reported by The Verge.
SpaceX utilized for a waiver to exceed the utmost public-safety danger allowed by federal laws. The FAA denied the waiver, however SpaceX went forward with the SN8 launch anyway, FAA officers stated within the emailed assertion. All testing on the South Texas web site that might have an effect on public security was suspended till SpaceX accomplished an investigation into the incident and the FAA accepted corrective actions taken by the corporate, the officers added.
However that drama now seems to be within the rearview mirror. Forward is the launch of SN9, so benefit from the present.
Mike Wall is the writer of “Out There” (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate), a guide in regards to the seek for alien life. Comply with him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Comply with us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Fb.
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