WATCH: SpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites SpaceX launched 23 Starlink satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities, to low-Earth orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The mission marked the 24th flight for the Falcon 9 first-stage booster, which previously supported multiple launches including CRS-24, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13F, and 18 prior Starlink missions. The Federal Aviation Administration has given clearance for SpaceX to conduct its ninth Starship flight, following an explosion that caused debris to rain down across the southwest Atlantic in March. In a statement released by the agency, the FAA said it has determined that the Elon Musk-run space company had satisfactorily addressed the causes of the recent mishap. SPACEX STARSHIP EXPLOSION CAUSES SCRAMBLED FLIGHTS AS DEBRIS RAINS DOWN OVER ATLANTIC SpaceX Starship Flight 8 takes off from Orbital Launch Pad A at Boca Chica beach on March 06, 2025 in Boca Chica Beach, Texas. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) The earliest the next test flight could occur is after Memorial Day, with the company focusing on reusing a booster. As the grip of a subtropical ridge weakens and moves eastward, much of Texas, including over the SpaceX launch facility outside of Brownsville, will see an increase in moisture and higher chances of rainfall to end the month. Due to numerous launch windows, if Mother Nature does impact a launch date, the space company will have plenty of opportunities for Starship Flight 9 test flight. Launch hazard area nearly doubled Since 2023, SpaceX has conducted eight Starships tests with half ending in significant failures. Two recent test launches have ended in explosions with debris raining down over the Atlantic and Caribbean. Due to the potential danger of airborne debris, hundreds of commercial aircraft were either delayed or diverted to avoid the risk of collision. The FAA noted that there will be changes with future launch attempts to minimize disruptions to air travel and reduce dangers from debris. The agency is expanding the size of the hazard area from around 885 nautical miles to approximately 1,600 nautical miles, stretching from the launch site in South Texas through the Florida Straits and over the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos Islands. Additionally, the FAA says any launch window will be scheduled to avoid peak air travel times. The agency stated it is in close contact with its counterparts in the United Kingdom, Turks & Caicos Islands, Bahamas, Mexico and Cuba, and emphasized that SpaceX will be responsible for any unintended impacts.