The Federal Aviation Administration approved SpaceX Starship Flight 9 for launch. The agency reviewed Flight 8 problems and confirmed SpaceX fixed all safety issues. Officials also completed two environmental studies for the Starship program. The first study allows SpaceX to launch 25 rockets each year from Texas. The second study deals with airspace closures during launches.
Previous Starship flights created major problems for air traffic over the Caribbean Sea. Airlines had to change flight paths and move planes to avoid falling rocket pieces. Flight 7 and Flight 8 both exploded after separating from their boosters. Debris is scattered across several countries and their waters. The FAA works with the United Kingdom, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas, Mexico, and Cuba to monitor these launches.
SpaceX updated its safety analysis using data from all previous Starship tests. Flight 9 will use a recycled Super Heavy booster for the first time. The company must launch during quiet air traffic periods to reduce risks. SpaceX carries 500 million dollars of liability insurance for this mission. The danger zone stretches 1,600 nautical miles from Texas through the Straits of Florida, almost double the previous flight area.
Previous Starship flights created major problems for air traffic over the Caribbean Sea. Airlines had to change flight paths and move planes to avoid falling rocket pieces. Flight 7 and Flight 8 both exploded after separating from their boosters. Debris is scattered across several countries and their waters. The FAA works with the United Kingdom, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas, Mexico, and Cuba to monitor these launches.
SpaceX updated its safety analysis using data from all previous Starship tests. Flight 9 will use a recycled Super Heavy booster for the first time. The company must launch during quiet air traffic periods to reduce risks. SpaceX carries 500 million dollars of liability insurance for this mission. The danger zone stretches 1,600 nautical miles from Texas through the Straits of Florida, almost double the previous flight area.
