FAA Mishap Investigation The FAA has closed the mishap investigation of Starship's first flight, which experienced a malfunction and substantial damage. SpaceX had a plan in place for mishaps and provided an initial report to the FAA. The FAA oversaw the investigation but SpaceX led it.
"Starship is Ready to Launch" "Starship is ready to launch" according to Elon Musk's tweet. Despite repairs being made at Starbase, there are still paperwork processes that need completion before launch can happen.
FAA Requirements for Launch SpaceX submitted their final incident report four months after the mishap occurred. The FAA reviewed this report within three weeks and listed corrective actions needed before launching again, including hardware redesigns, additional reviews and testing of safety critical systems.
Suspicious Timing Just days before SpaceX provided the final report to the FAA, someone changed the potential launch date from August 16th to September 8th. This raises suspicions that there may be collaboration between different parties involved.
"Coincidences" and Delays "Coincidences" continue as navigational warnings about space flight activities reinforce the September 8th through 13th dates. However, an update on September 6th suggests a delay in these dates. On September7 th , when SpaceX was told their mishap investigation was closed by FAA, they had not yet applied for a modification to their launch license.
FAA's Role and Safety Concerns The FAA plays a crucial role in deciding when Starship can fly despite not being involved in its design or construction process. The mishap report revealed fuel leaks causing fires which burned important components of Starship's wiring system; it is essential for these issues to be resolved before attempting another launch.