SpaceX’s upcoming Starship megarocket has received a license to fly.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a launch license on Tuesday (Dec. 17) for SpaceX’s upcoming Starship Flight 7 test flight. This clears the way for the company’s next launch of the largest rocket in the world from South Texas. The launch license follows several Starship engine tests conducted by SpaceX to ensure the readiness of its seventh Ship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket booster.
“The FAA is working to improve efficiency in our licensing process to support the needs of the commercial space transportation industry,” said Kelvin B. Coleman, FAA Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation. “This license modification for Starship Flight 7 is ahead of the scheduled launch date and demonstrates the FAA’s commitment to safe space transportation.”
SpaceX has not yet announced a specific date for the Flight 7 Starship launch test from its Starbase facility near Boca Chica Beach. With about two weeks remaining in the year, a likely timeframe for the flight is early or mid-January 2025. Cameron County officials in Texas, where Starbase is located, have not issued any road closures for the rest of December, which typically precedes SpaceX’s Starship launch tests.
Flight 7 will mark SpaceX’s seventh major test launch of the Starship megarocket. While the company has conducted several short engine tests with both the Starship upper-stage vehicle and the Super Heavy booster, they have not yet been stacked for an actual flight.
When fully assembled, the Starship spacecraft with six engines and the Super Heavy booster with 33 engines stand nearly 400 feet (122 meters) tall, making it the tallest and most powerful rocket in the world. Following a successful Flight 5 in October, where SpaceX caught its Super Heavy booster using “chopsticks,” the company is now gearing up for Flight 7.
During the Flight 6 test in November, SpaceX landed its Starship in the Indian Ocean after skipping the booster catch due to a sensor issue. The upcoming Flight 7 will aim to replicate the ocean landing while attempting another booster catch.
SpaceX’s goal is to create a reusable heavy-lift system with Starship and Super Heavy for launching massive payloads into orbit or on missions to the moon, Mars, and beyond. The company has already conducted six Starship test flights since April 2023.
NASA has chosen the Starship vehicle to land its Artemis 3 astronauts on the moon in 2027. SpaceX has also sold flights on Starship to private customers, including billionaire Jared Isaacman, who funded the Inspiration4 private spaceflight in 2021.
Isaacman, who is also involved in SpaceX’s other projects, including the Polaris Program, is a key figure in the private spaceflight industry. He is set to serve as NASA Administrator if confirmed next year.
SpaceX is planning to expand its Starship launch test program in 2025, with up to 24 test flights scheduled. The company estimates at least eight Starship launches are required to fuel a single Ship vehicle for a lunar mission, with new in-space refueling technology being developed.
Elon Musk first introduced the concept for Starship in 2016. SpaceX aims to launch its first Starship to Mars in 2026.
