What’s really going on with Elon Musk, the FAA, and Starship?

There were moments of great drama Thursday afternoon, and again Friday morning, in South Texas. For two consecutive days, SpaceX evacuated the handful of residents who remained in the village of Boca Chica. Sheriff’s assistants cleared beaches and closed roads. And at the company’s launch site, a Starship rocket prototype was prepared for launch.

The vehicle was ready, the ground equipment escaping. The winds were light. And then – nothing. Over the hours, the rocket remained on the ground. Unfortunately for SpaceX, the Federal Aviation Administration had not given final approval for the launch. All of this made for a real showdown in South Texas.

SpaceX, which officially said it was targeting a launch attempt on Thursday, has not commented publicly on what happened. The FAA also did not provide details of what happened other than offering a generic statement: “We will continue to work with SpaceX to resolve outstanding security issues before approving the next test flight.”

While we don’t know the exact details of why an approval was not obtained, it is helpful to understand what the FAA is trying to do in terms of regulating launch licenses and what SpaceX needs to do to get. comply. This allows us to make educated guesses about what is delaying the launch of SN9, which will now take place no earlier than Monday. To put this FAQ together, Ars spoke to experts in mission assurance and FAA rules.

Why is the FAA involved in the launch?

It is the federal agency empowered to authorize the launches of commercial spaces by American companies. The FAA is less concerned with the objectives of the mission itself and more with the protection of lives and property near the launch site, as well as the airspace above. Bottom line: tThe FAA would not delay a flight test unless there was cause for public safety concern.

How does SpaceX get approval to launch?

For each launch of its Starship experimental vehicle, SpaceX must first obtain FAA approval. The rules for doing this are clearly set out in the Code of Federal Regulations in a series of parts and rules. It’s SpaceX’s job to convince the FAA that its vehicle is flight-worthy, that it has established a sufficiently large security corridor, and that it has made the appropriate notifications. The relevant part of the code is 431.31, which states that the FAA’s safety examination will determine whether a company’s vehicle can launch and land “without endangering public health and safety and the safety of property.” There is usually a launch readiness review within 48 hours of the flight to prove this.

What happens if security approval is denied?

According to the regulations, “The FAA notifies an applicant, in writing, if the FAA has denied safety approval for an RLV mission license application. The notice states the reasons for the FAA’s decision. The applicant may respond. reasons for the decision and request a review. ”It seems likely that we are currently in the process of securing a review of SpaceX.

But hadn’t the FAA already issued “temporary flight restrictions” for Thursday and Friday?

Yes, the FAA had issued airspace restrictions (see here for a current list) for SpaceX’s Boca Chica launch site. However, these restrictions are not an indication of FAA approval but rather a warning that the airspace may be locked out at some point. (The same goes for the NOTAMs of aviators).

So how do we know a business has received approval to launch?

There is nowhere on the internet to search for a mission specific spacecraft launch approval. So this only becomes public if SpaceX discloses it or if a launch actually happens.

If SpaceX got clearance for SN8 in December, what is the delay for SN9?

While the high altitude flight profile for SN9 is similar to that performed by SN8, it should only travel 10 km instead of 12.5 km. A mission-specific launch approval should take into account every change in details, requiring new scans and an updated security corridor. Perhaps something happened during SN8 that caught the attention of the FAA and caused closer scrutiny. It is also possible that a significant problem arose between the flights of SN8 and SN9.

Was SpaceX trying to intimidate the FAA by powering Starship for a potential launch?

Without knowing SpaceX’s intentions, it is impossible to answer this. The company may have just performed a wet-suit repeat test. But any intimidation such as thruster loading, or Elon Musk frustration on Twitter, would be unlikely to work on Wayne Monteith, the FAA’s associate administrator for commercial space transportation. He’s a well-known official, little known for being influenced by tweets.

Is the FAA trying to hold back SpaceX?

No. It is in the interests of the FAA to authorize and promote commercial space activities. However, the federal agency is overworked as a growing number of companies seek licenses. It is likely that the FAA will provide additional resources to address the remaining issues with the Starship launch in South Texas to try to get the company to fly.

Are the current licensing regulations too onerous?

Probably. Lots of companies are trying to create a responsive space, and the FAA is trying to streamline the licensing process. It is looking to staff itself to increase its capacity to review launch requests. The FAA took a step towards greater responsiveness in December by issuing a final rule on launch and re-entry licensing requirements. But it is an ongoing process.

Could SpaceX just launch offshore to avoid this?

SpaceX recently acquired two very large offshore platforms to launch and disembark its Starship vehicle. However, he did not do this to circumvent FAA licenses. Similar to SeaLaunch, the company would still operate under FAA regulations. Trying to get into international waters, if one does, would likely make it harder for SpaceX from a regulatory standpoint.

What happens if SpaceX launches without approval?

Uh, no, the company is not going to go rogue. And in addition to licensing commercial launches, the FAA is also conducting an environmental review of SpaceX’s South Texas facility to determine if it is suitable for Starship and Super Heavy launches.

So what happens next?

Cooler heads are likely to prevail, and SpaceX and the FAA are working together on Friday and over the weekend to secure the necessary clearances. Musk may invite Monteith to attend the launch from the company’s mission control center in South Texas. Either way, this is neither the first rodeo for Musk or Monteith, and the smart money is on them to fix it.