The Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) hasofficially closed its investigationinto the inaugural launch of SpaceX ’s in - development megarocket , Starship . The company must now follow up 63 corrective measures to guarantee its next spaceship launch license from the FAA .
spaceship ’s maiden launch , which took space on April 20 , wasmarred by several missteps , includingexcessive price at the launching mount , thescattering of detritus and dust over the palisade region , interruption of local wildlife , pocket-sized wildfire inflammation , and adangerously blemished self - destruct sequence . The megarocket flew for roughly four minutes before entering into a fatal tumble , and with the self - destruct chronological sequence not immediately result in the disintegration of the Starship paradigm .
The FAA ’s final report play up “ multiple root causes ” of the blemished launch , specifying 63 corrective actions that SpaceX must follow through to prevent interchangeable incidents in next launches . These actions entail a redesign of the vehicle ’s hardware to prevent leak and fire , and a modification of the launch lodgings to boost its resiliency — a variety SpaceX appear to have made follow the April 20 launch ; these changes includesteel reenforcement beneath the launch mountand anew water soaker systemto quell the power of Starship ’s 33 Raptor engines . That said , these changes will likely undergo a subsequent FAA review .
Starship during its fatal tumble on 14 May 2025.Photo: Eric Gay (AP)
SpaceX engineers heap the 400 - foot - tall ( 122 - meter - tall ) rocket this past Tuesday , and itnow stands ready for its second launching , wait FAA approval .
Other disciplinary bar stipulated in the reputation admit the “ incorporation of extra review in the design process , ” increase analysis and testing of safety - vital systems such as the Autonomous Flight Safety System ( the ego - destruct organisation ) , and added modification ascendancy practice ( i.e. the managing of organisation change to keep things unchanging and to prevent unexpected issue ) .
The FAA closely monitor SpaceX ’s investigation to ensure compliance with the O.K. programme , while NASA and the National Transportation Safety Board were grant prescribed perceiver condition . Importantly , the Union regulator only gave SpaceX a one - dead reckoning launch license for Starship . If SpaceX hop to plunge again , it must establish that it has made the necessary fixes . And should the FAA eventually give the thumb up , SpaceX has to stick to what it promised in its covering .
The FAA made it clear in its program line that enwrap up the mishap investigation does n’t greenlight an immediate resumption of Starship launch at Boca Chica , Texas . As the FAA made crystal clear in its program line :
SpaceX must implement all disciplinal action that touch public safety and apply for and receive a license modification from the FAA that call all safety gadget , environmental and other applicable regulative requirements prior to the next Starship launch .
Regarding the mishap probe theme , the FAA clarify that the details must remain secret due to the presence of proprietary information and U.S. Export Control rule . The governor rede directing further inquiries to SpaceX. This is gentle say than done ; extract information from the aerospace manufacturing business is always a challenge , given its reluctance to engage with the media . That said , Gizmodo contacted SpaceX for details on the 63 corrective actions but received no reply prior to publication .
SpaceX ’s Starship stand at the head of the caller ’s aspirations for blank space geographic expedition . This full reclaimable space vehicle , designed to transport both crowd and freight , place at missions pasture from deploy satellite to landing on Mars . chief executive officer Elon Musk envisions Starship as a critical tool inachieving his dream of establishing a sustainable human colony on Marsand progressing towards a multiplanetary existence . NASA , on the other hand , design to use Starship as a human landing vehiclefor its forthcoming Artemis missionary work to the Moon .
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