FILE PHOTO: SpaceX’s first super heavy-lift Starship SN8 rocket during a return-landing attempt after it launched from their facility on a test flight in Boca Chica, Texas US. December 9, 2020. REUTERS/Gene Blevins/File Photo
WASHINGTON — The US Federal Aviation Administration on Friday granted a long-awaited license allowing Elon Musk’s SpaceX to launch its Starship rocket to orbit for the first time, clearing the way for a test flight crucial to the company’s goals in space.
“After a comprehensive license evaluation process, the FAA determined SpaceX met all safety, environmental, policy, payload, airspace integration and financial responsibility requirements,” the FAA said in a statement on Friday, adding that the license is valid for five years.
The launch, from SpaceX’s Starbase rocket facilities in Boca Chica, Texas, is slated for Monday April 17, the company affirmed on Twitter. Regulatory notices filed earlier on Friday indicate liftoff could occur anytime from 5:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Central time.