FAA permits SpaceX Starship Flight 4 launch

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has signed a launch permit for SpaceX to launch Starship Test Flight 4 and the company is targeting a launch this week.

FAA has been overseeing a mishap report on Starship Flight 3 since March. No clarification has been given on the results at the moment. However, we expect the investigation to close by tomorrow or the results may not be published publically.

According to the launch schedule, SpaceX will launch this new test flight on June 6 with a 120-minute liftoff window opening at 7:00 a.m. CT. The company can also change the launch time based on different scenarios. The flight will take off from SpaceX Boca Chica Launch Complex, Boca Chica, Texas.

This license was originally issued on April 14, 2023, before the first test flight. On November 15, 2023, it was modified for the second flight, the third time on March 13, 2024, and now June 4.

“The order is issued to Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) under 51 U.S.C Subtitle V, chapter 509, and 14 CFR chapter II” mentioned the FAA document.

SpaceX Starship 4 Launch License from FAA (Image Source – FAA)

Flight 4

SpaceX has evaluated the data received from Starship Flight 3 and it allowed the company to make new changes in Flight 4 to achieve new milestones. Flight 4 focuses on enduring the reentry pressure on both Starship and Super Heavy booster. The booster is set to conduct a soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico after a landing burn. On the other hand, SpaceX targets a controlled entry of Starship during the transonic phase.

The company has made several software and hardware upgrades to improve the stability of the first and second stages. The SpaceX team also improved the stage separation to reduce booster mass for the final phase of the mission.

Furthermore, SpaceX is paying special attention to the heat shield tiles to endure the reentry heat for the second stage. In the meantime, you can learn how to watch the Starship Flight 4 launch live from here.