{"id":10262,"date":"2023-10-31T21:01:56","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T13:01:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/faa-concludes-spacex-starship-safety-review-continues-environmental-review\/"},"modified":"2023-10-31T21:01:56","modified_gmt":"2023-10-31T13:01:56","slug":"faa-concludes-spacex-starship-safety-review-continues-environmental-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/faa-concludes-spacex-starship-safety-review-continues-environmental-review\/","title":{"rendered":"FAA concludes SpaceX Starship safety review, continues environmental review"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_64278\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-64278\" style=\"width: 876px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-64278\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/20231020_Starship_stacked_small.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"876\" height=\"493\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/20231020_Starship_stacked_small.jpg 876w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/20231020_Starship_stacked_small-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/20231020_Starship_stacked_small-678x381.jpg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/20231020_Starship_stacked_small-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-64278\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">SpaceX\u2019s Starship rocket stands fully stacked near the shoreline of Texas at its Starbase facility on Oct. 20, 2023. On Oct. 31, the FAA said it concluded its safety review ahead of its second test flight. Image: SpaceX<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>SpaceX\u2019s highly anticipated second test flight of its Starship super heavy lift rocket is one step closer to liftoff from South Texas. On Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced the conclusion of its safety review.<\/p>\n<p>The agency issued a brief statement noting the this portion of the assessment wrapped up on Oct. 31. It describes the safety review as being \u201cfocused on issues that affect public health and safety of property.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt consists of evaluating the applicant\u2019s safety organization, system safety processes, flight safety analysis, and quantitative risk criteria for launch, reentry, and vehicle disposal,\u201d the FAA stated.<\/p>\n<p>The biggest outstanding piece of the equation before the second integrated flight test is the environmental review, which is being done in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).<\/p>\n<p>On Oct. 5, the FAA sent its final biological assessment to FWS. The latter agency had up to 30 days to review that document, but announced that it finished that review on Oct. 19 and reinitiated its formal Endangered Species Act consultation with the FAA.<\/p>\n<p>That process is allotted 135 days by statute, but similarly with the biological assessment review, FWS stated on Oct. 26 that it does \u201cnot expect to take the full amount of time.\u201d Spaceflight Now reached out to FWS to see where the agency is in the process and is waiting to hear back.<\/p>\n<p>That 135 days breaks down into two main buckets as part of the agency\u2019s \u201cESA Section 7 Consultation\u201d process:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Formal consultation (up to 90 days)\n<ul>\n<li>The period where the FAA and FWS \u201cshare information about the proposed project and the species or critical habitat likely to be affected.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Craft a biological opinion (up to 45 days)\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cA biological opinion usually includes conservation recommendations to further the recovery of listed species, and it may also include reasonable and prudent measures, as needed, to minimize any \u2018take\u2019 of listed species.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In a statement to Spaceflight Now on Tuesday, an FAA spokesperson said, \u201cThe environmental review is the last major element to complete before the FAA makes a license determination.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Last week, SpaceX stacked Ship 25 with Booster 9 and conducted a wet dress rehearsal before unstacking the vehicle.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: static; visibility: visible; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1716979627154149710&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fspaceflightnow.com%2F2023%2F10%2F31%2Ffaa-concludes-spacex-starship-safety-review-continues-environmental-review%2F&amp;sessionId=5997be1d430ba4982b6b6b7010f0f8c4f0d18f50&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-tweet-id=\"1716979627154149710\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" data-twitter-extracted-i1782461989072572807=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Vehicle is ready for the second test flight of a fully integrated Starship, pending regulatory approval pic.twitter.com\/9tC4yKecmw<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 25, 2023<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are prepared to conduct Starship\u2019s second integrated test flight as soon as the end of this month, pending only FAA license approval, which includes the reviews of supporting agencies,\u201d Gerstenmaier said in a written statement to a Senate subcommittee. \u201cCritically, the vehicle has been ready to fly since mid-September. The current regulatory process is not keeping up with the pace of innovation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Because of SpaceX\u2019s iterative process of testing and flying, Gerstenmaier described IFT-2 as needed \u201cin order to test critical systems need to meet NASA objectives.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>NASA\u2019s Human Landing System Program is also eagerly awaiting this next launch to continue the progress towards the version of Starship that will bring humans down to the lunar surface on the Artemis 3 mission, targeting launch in December 2025.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI would be remiss if I didn\u2019t say we\u2019re concerned about the SpaceX schedule for HLS and the concern is that our critical path, even today, goes through these test flights,\u201d said Lisa Watson-Morgan, the HLS program manager in an interview with Spaceflight Now. \u201cAnd the reason it goes through the test flights is because of SpaceX\u2019s development approach, which I fully support and I really cherish.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Watson-Morgan said they\u2019re hoping to see the ship-to-ship propellant transfer mission sometime in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat is our key. When that day happens, I\u2019m gonna be like, whew!\u201d Watson-Morgan said. \u201cI know we\u2019ll get there.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_51139\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-51139\" style=\"width: 1400px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-51139\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/starship_moon.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1400\" height=\"788\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/starship_moon.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/starship_moon-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/starship_moon-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/starship_moon-678x381.jpg 678w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-51139\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Artist\u2019s concept of a Starship on the moon. Credit: SpaceX<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SpaceX\u2019s Starship rocket stands fully stacked near the shoreline of Texas at its Starbase facility on Oct. 20, 2023. On Oct. 31, the FAA said it concluded its safety review ahead of its second test flight. Image: SpaceX SpaceX\u2019s highly anticipated second test flight of its Starship super heavy lift rocket is one step closer [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[318,1507,800,316,317,1505],"class_list":["post-10262","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-faa","tag-fws","tag-human-landing-system","tag-spacex","tag-starship","tag-starship-integrated-flight-test-2"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10262"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10262"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10262\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10262"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10262"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}