Elon Musk shares new target date for Starship voyage to Mars
- by Digital Trends
- Sep 23, 2024
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SpaceX shares dramatic Starship engine test footage ahead of 5th flight
His latest comments on his long-held dream to eventually colonize Mars come as SpaceX awaits permission from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to proceed with the fifth orbital test flight of the Starship, which comprises the first-stage Super Heavy rocket and upper-stage Starship spacecraft.
The FAA is currently investigating the environmental impact of the Starship flights, along with the safety measures being put in place for the fifth one, and SpaceX can’t fly until that investigation is complete. Much to SpaceX’s annoyance, the FAA said recently said that it would need until at least the end of November to finish its work.
Responding to recent criticism by SpaceX over the time it’s taking, the FAA explained that SpaceX’s current license authorizing the Starship’s fourth test flight “also allows for multiple flights of the same vehicle configuration and mission profile,” but said that “SpaceX chose to modify both for its proposed Starship Flight 5 launch, which triggered a more in-depth review.”
It added that Musk’s spaceflight company also submitted new information in August “detailing how the environmental impact of Flight 5 will cover a larger area than previously reviewed [and that] this requires the FAA to consult with other agencies,” meaning that more time is needed to complete its investigation than originally expected.
Musk said in Sunday’s social media post that he wants to make human existence multiplanetary “before something happens on Earth to prevent that, for example nuclear war, a super-virus or population collapse that weakens civilization to the point where it loses the ability to send supply ships to Mars.” He blamed what he sees as overregulation by the government for slowing down the Starship testing program, as well as other large engineering projects.
While many may sympathize with Musk’s frustration at not being able to proceed more quickly with the Starship test program, others insist that such regulations are essential to ensure public safety, maintain industry standards, reduce the risk of catastrophic events, and protect ecosystems.
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