SpaceX's next-generation Starship spacecraft prepares for its third launch on its powerful Super Heavy rocket on March 13, 2024, during an uncrewed test flight from the company's Boca Chica launch pad near Brownsville, Texas.
Joe Captain | Reuters
Elon Musk's SpaceX is preparing to launch its third Starship test flight as soon as Thursday morning, after federal regulators signed off on the initiative.
The Federal Aviation Administration released SpaceX on Wednesday Initial license The company will fly its latest Starship prototype.
SpaceX is targeting a launch window between 8 a.m. ET and 9:50 a.m. ET on Thursday. The company plans to livestream the release, starting with a webcast 30 minutes before the window opens.
The company aimed to build Starship prototype flights last year, the second and latest of which reached space in November. Test flights have had mixed results, with both rockets flying for a few minutes and achieving few milestones before eventually being destroyed by problems.
SpaceX and the FAA investigated the problems with the November launch, which resulted in the company making changes to the Monster rocket before the third attempt.
In addition, SpaceX aims to demonstrate new capabilities with the third Starship flight, including opening and closing the spacecraft's door, refueling in-flight and splashing in the Indian Ocean in a NASA demonstration.
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