FAA Clears Spacex for Another Starship Test Flight after Explosion in January

Elon musk’s Spacex has attained autorization from the federal aviation administration to fly its massive starship Rocke once against Again, the space regulator annoured friday.

The starship Rockt broke up during the company’s seventh test flight in January. The explosion caused debris to rain down over turks and caicos, and forced several commercial flights to be Diverted or delayedCNBC Previously reported.

The faa granted the modified license to spacex, which has a $ 350 Billion Private Market Valuationeven thought the company has yet to complete its mishap investment, required after the January explosion. The space regulator has previously authorized flights by companies include spacex and Rocket Lab While Mishap Investigations Were Still underway, a spokesperson told cnbc by email.

Last year, The Faa Fined Spacex $ 633,009 in Civil Penalties For what it alleged was safety and procedural violations in the lead-up to two 2023 launches. Spacex was also Fined by the Environmental Protection Agency For polluting waters in texas in violation of the clean water act.

After that fines, musk Threated To sua the faa for “regulatory overreach” but never filed a complaint.

Musk, The World’s Wealthiest Person, Contributed Nearly $ 300 Million to Help Propel President Donald Trump Back to the white house, and is now a central figure in the administration.

Musk, who is also ceo of Tesla And the owner of social media company x, leads the so-called department of government efficiency, or dog, which is implementing Draconian Staffing and Budget Cuts Cuts Accounts The Federal Government, and Targeting Regulatory agencies that oversee musk’s businesses.

The role has afforded musk and his dog staffers unprecedented access to federal computer systems and data incoming within the faa. Spacex has been selected to help overhaul the faa’s Air Traffic Control System, Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy Previous announced,

Senators Adam Schiff, D-Calif., And Tammy Duckworth, D -LL., Sent a Letter on Friday to Fa’s Acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau, RAISING CONCERNS About Conflicts of Interest,

Spacex did not respond to cnbc’s request for comment.

Starship, The Tallest and Most Powerful Rockt Ever Launched, is critical to spacex’s ambitions. When it is stacked on the super heavy booster, Starship Stands 403 Feet Tall and is about 30 Feet in Diameter. Spacex has flown the full starship rocket system on Seven spaceflight tests so far since April 2023.

The company Wrote in a social media post That it aims to conduct its eighth starship test flight as soon as Monday, March 3.