US authorities open investigation into SpaceX

The next Starship prototype launch was scheduled for January 28, but the FAA canceled it.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into Elon Musk’s SpaceX for a violation of a spacecraft launch license. The reason for the procedure was the test flight of the Starship rocket in December 2020, which ended in an explosion upon landing. This was reported on Saturday, January 30, by The Verge, citing two sources familiar with the situation.

According to them, the FAA has launched an investigation into the incident, which affects not only the explosion of the Starship prototype during landing, but also SpaceX’s “refusal to comply with the conditions” for the launch of spacecraft, designated by the Department.

“While we recognize the importance of swift action to stimulate business innovation, the FAA will not compromise its responsibility to protect public safety,” said agency spokesman Steve Kulm.

At the same time, he did not elaborate on which actions SpaceX violated the FAA license.

The next test of the Starship prototype was supposed to take place on January 28, but the FAA banned this launch, as officials were considering the changes SpaceX made to its license application, one of The Verge’s interlocutors noted. The head of the company, Elon Musk, reacted painfully to the cancellation of the tests.

“Unlike the aviation unit, with which everything is fine, the FAA space division has a fundamentally incorrect regulatory framework. Its rules are designed for several no-return launches per year from various government facilities. Following these rules, the humanity will never make it to Mars. ” wrote billionaire on Twitter.

The Starship spacecraft is currently in development, SpaceX noted. They are a “fully reusable transportation system” designed to transport people and goods “to orbit the Earth, the Moon, Mars and beyond.”

Recall that the US private space company SpaceX has made the largest launch in terms of number of payloads in the history of astronautics.

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