Elon Musk Hails SpaceX for Making 57 Fixes to Starship, but Feds Quash New Launch Rumors

SpaceX owner Elon took to his own social media platform, X, formerly Twitter, to reveal that the space industry leader's megarocket, Starship, is closer than ever to a second fully-stacked test launch.

The vehicle in question, Starship, is gearing up to fly again, Musk claimed on X, saying SpaceX has already addressed 57 of the 63 fixes the Federal Aviation Administration identified after it wrapped a mishap investigation into the ship's first launch test in April this year ended in so much ash and debris.

But despite Musk's enthusiasm, the FAA told The Messenger the company is not approved to launch Starship again at this time.

In response to Musk's post, the FAA told The Messenger that while it has closed its investigation into the April incident, that "does not signal an immediate resumption of Starship launches at Boca Chica," and that SpaceX "must implement all corrective actions that impact public safety," apply for and receive a new license before it can try launching Starship again. 

Last week The Messenger reported how the FAA concluded a three-month investigation into SpaceX and Starship.

The Starship is considerably more powerful than all of SpaceX's current rockets. It’s designed to carry 100 passengers or 100 tons of cargo into space and SpaceX has already received considerable contracts from NASA as an integral part of the organization’s plans to construct long-term moon and Mars bases. 

It’s not clear if SpaceX has applied for a new license or the timeline for another launch attempt.

A spokesperson for the company did not immediately reply to The Messenger's request for comment.