SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said earlier this week that Starship was ready to be launched again. However, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) noted that the spacecraft is not yet clear for another test flight.
The FAA concluded its investigation of the rocket's mid-flight explosion in April, saying SpaceX needs to take 63 corrective actions before it is cleared for a second launch.
The Starship is grounded for now as the company needs to check everything on the FAA's list to obtain its green light for another launch.
SpaceX's Starship Is Not Launching Any Time Soon
In a press statement, the FAA 63 called for SpaceX to take 63 corrective actions before it could launch another Starship Super Heavy rocket test flight and prevent the occurrence of another mishap.
It is known that SpaceX is already locked in for the latest launch of the rocket. The already fully-stacked Starship rocket is currently on the launch pad at the company's Starbase at Boca Chica, Texas.
SpaceX's latest post on X claimed that "testing development flight hardware in a flight environment" would help its teams to "quickly learn and execute design changes and hardware upgrades to improve the probability of success in the future."
The company is looking forward to getting a green light from the FAA, rallying on social media regarding the importance of a launch on its future rocket venture.
"We learned a tremendous amount about the vehicle and ground systems during Starship's first flight test," SpaceX noted.
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FAA Investigation: 63 Corrective Actions for Starship
Despite the words from SpaceX, the FAA is still firm on its decision that stemmed from its investigation, all centering on the April explosion of the rocket.
Regulators cited multiple root causes of the April 20 mishap and 63 corrective actions SpaceX must take to improve the Starship and prevent mishap reoccurrence in the future.
The FAA noted that corrective actions include redesigns of vehicle hardware to prevent leaks and fires, redesign of the launch pad to increase its robustness, incorporation of additional reviews in the design process, further analysis and testing of safety-critical systems and components including the Autonomous Flight Safety System, and the application of additional change control practices.
"The closure of the mishap investigation does not signal an immediate resumption of Starship launches at Boca Chica," the FAA said in the statement.
"SpaceX must implement all corrective actions that impact public safety and apply for and receive a license modification from the FAA that addresses all safety, environmental, and other applicable regulatory requirements prior to the next Starship launch," it added.
SpaceX's Starship and the FAA
SpaceX is looking forward to bringing its rockets to space, but it has to appease the regulators for its every launch to get a green light.
Previously, a lawsuit was filed against the FAA after the April 20 launch of the SpaceX Starship, one of the world's most powerful rockets.
The suit was raised by environmental groups concerned about what the Starship left behind, which is massive pollution in areas near the launch site and disturbing the ecosystem around it.
SpaceX also received complaints from environmental groups for its rocket's operations in Boca Chica without a comprehensive environmental review.
There are claims that the company's rockets have an active hand in destroying the ecosystem near it, including the debris field it left on its last test, but the company denied these allegations.
The FAA still has the final say regarding SpaceX's future missions, especially with the Starship, which is still in an experimental phase.
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