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Just in time for a high-altitude flight test scheduled for Friday, April 30, SpaceX obtained an FAA license to launch the Starship SN15 prototype and simultaneously received an FCC license to operate a Starlink antenna installed on the rocket.
The two-month FCC license is first and foremost a luxury that will allow SpaceX to experience the utility of adding Starlink satellite Internet connectivity to an active launcher. The FAA license, however, is an essential requirement for the company to legally attempt to launch and land a fifth spacecraft at high altitude. While the FAA approval is the latest of several promising signs that SpaceX may be in a hurry during an attempt to launch Starship before the weekend, some ambiguity remains.
Since April 29, the launch of the Starship SN15 now has an active FAA license, a temporary flight restriction (TFR) to clear the airspace, a maritime danger notice to warn maritime operators and ” a motorway closure scheduled for Friday April 30. The improved Starship prototype also completed two consecutive Raptor static fires with no apparent issues and without the need to replace one or more of those engines – a first for a multi-engine ship prototype.
On the other hand, SpaceX has yet to officially confirm plans for an attempted launch Friday on social media or SpaceX.com and the company has yet to distribute an evacuation notice to the few residents. who still live in the village of Boca Chica. In addition, the weather will likely be bad on Friday. and Starship SN15 has still not been equipped with Flight Termination System (FTS) explosive charges – a step that has typically been completed more than 24 hours before Starship’s previous launch attempts.
Update: SpaceX began installing Starship SN15’s FTS loads around 11 p.m. CDT on April 29.
Knowing about SpaceX, it’s more likely than not that the company will be able to install FTS less than 24 hours before a launch attempt, but it’s still a deviation from the norm and therefore remarkable. Oddly enough, SpaceX again filed TFRs for the apparent launch windows on Saturday and Sunday, although the company hasn’t attempted a base tanking test of the Starship as much on a weekend since long before flight tests began. at high altitude five months ago.
As such, if SpaceX is unable to launch the Starship SN15 tomorrow, the next window is much more likely to open on Monday, May 3. The weather forecast currently shows a chance of about 50% thunderstorms and poor visibility on Friday and Saturday, with conditions clearing to a predominantly sunny prospect Sunday through Tuesday. Stay tuned for updates as SpaceX continues to prepare for what could be the first fully successful high-altitude Starship launch and landing.
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