SpaceX has been looking to launch its reusable transportation system since last year.
The first orbital flight of the much-awaited, Elon Musk-owned SpaceX Starship is scheduled for lift-off on April 10. According to a Reuters report, citing a planning notice by the Federal Aviation Administration, April 11 and April 12 are other backup dates.
However, the company must still get a launch license from Boca Chica, Texas for its first orbital flight test. The U.S. government agency said it has not made a license determination for the Starship operation and noted that the “planning notice should not be interpreted as an indicator that a determination to issue a license has been made or is forthcoming.”
The launch license of the mission is expected to be granted on Monday, the Reuters report noted. SpaceX has not responded on the matter yet.
Starship, which collectively refers to a SpaceX spacecraft and super heavy rocket, is claimed to represent a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry crew and cargo to the Earth’s orbit, the Moon, and Mars. “Starship will be the world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, with the ability to carry up to 150 metric tonnes to Earth orbit reusable, and up to 250 metric tonnes expendable,” the SpaceX website read.
It is noteworthy that the American aerospace company has been looking to launch its reusable transportation system since last year. Worries over the delay in the launch of the first Starship orbital flight since May 5, 2021 surfaced primarily due to a delay in SpaceX getting a launch license from the Federal Aviation Administration or FAA.
Starship completed its first full flight-like wet dress rehearsal at Starbase on January 24. In February, SpaceX’s chief Elon Musk said the company would attempt Starship launch in March.
