Starship’s Quick Comeback: Will the Vehicle Soar Again Just Weeks After Its Breakup?

Just over a month after SpaceX’s latest Starship launch ended with an explosion over several Caribbean islands, the company is gearing up for its next test flight.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that the eighth test of the Starship could happen as early as February 26 from the Starbase in South Texas. The launch window is set between 5:30 PM and 7:09 PM local time.

Although this date seems likely, it’s possible that the launch might be pushed back a day or two.

This upcoming flight is crucial for SpaceX to get the Starship program back on track.

During the last attempt on January 16, the first stage of the massive rocket worked well. It was even caught by the launch tower a few minutes after liftoff. However, the upper stage encountered a fire in its rear section, which led to engine failure. The vehicle broke apart, and many residents in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico watched as debris fell from the sky.

The FAA’s Role

The fallout from this failure was felt on the ground. After the Starship’s breakup, FAA air traffic controllers had to clear airspace over the debris zone for more than an hour. This caused delays and rerouting for many commercial flights. Cleanup efforts were launched in the Turks and Caicos, and the FAA started an investigation to understand what went wrong. They are responsible for ensuring safety on the ground.

That investigation is still ongoing, but the issuance of the recent notice suggests that the FAA and SpaceX believe a resolution is near. SpaceX is currently preparing to stack the Starship upper stage onto its first stage, which could happen in the coming days.