SpaceX Starship Cleared for Next Launch Despite Ongoing Investigation

The FAA has authorized the SpaceX Starship Flight 8 launch while probing the Flight 7 incident. The mission involves a Super Heavy booster return to the launch site and a Starship water landing. Earlier, Starship 7 disintegrated shortly post-launch, causing flight diversions over the Caribbean.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Friday that it has cleared SpaceX's Starship vehicle for flight operations, despite an ongoing investigation into the January 16 mishap of Starship Flight 7.

The FAA has issued a launch license for SpaceX's upcoming Starship Flight 8, allowing the combined Starship/Super Heavy vehicle to take off from Boca Chica, Texas.

The mission will involve a coordinated attempt to catch the returning Super Heavy booster rocket using the launch tower, and a planned water landing for the Starship vehicle in the Indian Ocean, west of Australia. The earlier Starship 7 launch ended prematurely when the vehicle broke apart minutes after liftoff, scattering debris over the northern Caribbean and disrupting flight routes for numerous airlines.