SpaceX Points to FAA and Paperwork for Starship Next Flight Delay

On September 10, 2024, SpaceX released an update on its Starship program, outlining the latest advancements and challenges the company is facing.

Starship, described as the largest and most powerful space transportation system ever developed, is at the heart of SpaceX’s future vision. The vehicle’s design hopes to reach both fully and rapidly reusability, a key feature that hopefully will significantly lower costs and increase the frequency of space missions.

This reusability, long sought after in the field of space exploration, is seen as a critical step toward making access to space more routine and economically viable.

However, the path to achieving full reusability has been fraught with technical challenges. According to SpaceX, this concept remains “rocket science on ludicrous mode,” highlighting the complexities involved. Yet, the company remains confident in its approach. Each Starship flight, SpaceX argues, builds upon the lessons learned from previous tests, improving the system’s reliability and capabilities.

Regulatory challenges and delays

One of the most significant hurdles that SpaceX faces is not engineering but rather the regulatory environment that governs spaceflight. The press release expresses frustration with the current licensing process, specifically with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which oversees flight tests, and also regulate each rocket launch in the country.

According to SpaceX, the time it takes to obtain a launch license from the FAA far exceeds the time needed to design and build the necessary hardware for a rocket launch. This discrepancy, SpaceX claims, threatens the United States’ leadership in space exploration.

SpaceX emphasizes that the key to improving Starship’s performance and reusability is flying more frequently. “The more we fly safely, the faster we learn,” the company stated. Yet, despite Starship and its Super Heavy booster being ready for launch since early August (according to the company, of course), Flight 5 has been delayed by more than two months due to regulatory issues.

The FAA, which initially indicated a launch date of mid-September, has now postponed it until late November.

Environmental concerns and misconceptions

One of the central regulatory concerns relates to environmental impacts. According to SpaceX, much of the delay is due to what the company characterizes as “superfluous environmental analysis.” Specifically, four open environmental issues have delayed the licensing process for Flight 5.

A significant point of contention has been SpaceX’s use of a water-cooled steel flame deflector at its launch site. There have been allegations that the deflector could be polluting the environment, accusations SpaceX categorically denies.

*The Full-pressure Test of Starship Flame Deflector. Credits: SpaceX*

The company stated that the deflector uses only potable water and operates under a Texas Multi-Sector General Permit. SpaceX emphasized that water samples taken after the deflector’s use have shown negligible traces of contaminants, and that state agencies were present during its testing to observe operations.

In March 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an Administrative Order, prompting SpaceX to apply for an individual discharge permit despite its ongoing coordination with Texas regulators. SpaceX expressed disappointment over fines levied by both the EPA and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), which it attributes to “disagreements over paperwork” rather than any actual environmental violations.

Notably, SpaceX claims that the EPA agreed that no changes to the deflector’s operation were necessary—only the type of permit had to be updated.

Flight 5: the most ambitious test yet

Despite regulatory setbacks, SpaceX remains focused on its next major milestone: Starship’s Flight 5. This flight is set to include one of the most ambitious objectives in rocketry to date: catching the Super Heavy booster mid-air as it returns to the launch site.

SpaceX engineers have spent months preparing for this operation, which would mark a major advancement in reusability. The press release acknowledges that this totally new procedure comes with risk, but SpaceX assures that public safety remains its top priority.

Flight 5 will also see other minor changes to the flight plan. One of these includes the change of the splashdown location of the hot-stage separation ring. This is the top portion of the Super Heavy booster which is jettisoned into the Gulf of Mexico before landing.

This process was already analyzed in preparation for Starship’s fourth flight, and SpaceX asserts that the probability of a direct impact on marine life is near zero. Despite this, the FAA has mandated an additional 60-day consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service, a decision SpaceX claims will further delay the launch.

Additionally, concerns have been raised regarding the sonic booms expected during the Super Heavy booster’s return to the launch site. While prior evaluations by the FAA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined that the booms would have “no significant impact” on the environment, the FAA has opted for another 60-day consultation. SpaceX expressed frustration over this decision, citing previous studies that have shown no detrimental effects on wildlife exposed to sonic booms.

Since a couple of months, the company started “spreading the culture” about sonic booms, both on its website and social media pages, ahead of the next Starship’s flight.

Commitment to environmental stewardship

Throughout the press release, SpaceX underscores its commitment to environmental stewardship. The company points to its extensive list of mitigation measures, developed in consultation with both federal and state agencies, designed to minimize any potential impacts on the environment.

This includes ongoing biological monitoring at Starbase, SpaceX’s launch facility in Texas, where local flora and fauna are regularly assessed. The company reports that, to date, no population-level impacts to wildlife have been observed, contradicting claims made by some environmental groups.

SpaceX has also engaged in various local conservation efforts. In South Texas, the company has partnered with Sea Turtle Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to sea turtle conservation. SpaceX assists with the transportation of injured sea turtles and has adopted Boca Chica Beach through the Texas General Lands Office Adopt a Beach Program. The company also participates in quarterly beach cleanups and hosts environmental education events for local schools.

*A sea turtle been rescued at Starbase. Credits: SpaceX*

Despite the delays, SpaceX remains steadfast in its pursuit of space exploration. In the end of the update, SpaceX reiterates its vision of a multiplanetary future made possible by the technological advancements being made today. However, for that future to become a reality, regulatory processes will need to adapt to the fast-paced development of space technologies.

In the words of SpaceX, “Because life will be multiplanetary, and will be made possible by the farsighted strides we take today.”