FAA says SpaceX must implement 63 corrective actions before next Starship launch
FAA concluded investigation into Starship explosion that occurred in April
WATCH LIVE: SpaceX rocket docks at International Space Station
The SpaceX CRS-28 mission docks at the ISS as NASA officials track its progress.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Friday that Elon Musk’s SpaceX must conduct more than 60 corrective actions before the next launch of its Starship Super Heavy rocket.
SpaceX must also keep its Starship rocket grounded until the 63 corrective actions are completed, the FAA said. The agency concluded its probe into the April 20 launch from Texas that resulted in Starship exploding after liftoff.
"Corrective actions include redesigns of vehicle hardware to prevent leaks and fires, redesign of the launch pad to increase its robustness, incorporation of additional reviews in the design process, additional analysis and testing of safety critical systems and components including the Autonomous Flight Safety System, and the application of additional change control practices," the FAA said.
ELON MUSK BORROWED $1 BILLION FROM SPACEX RIGHT AFTER TWITTER ACQUISITION: REPORT
SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, on April 19, 2022. (Photographer: Alisha Jucevic/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
SpaceX did not return FOX Business’ request for comment.
NASA SPACEX CREW-6 ASTRONAUTS SPLASH DOWN OFF COAST OF FLORIDA AFTER SIX-MONTH MISSION ABOARD ISS
SpaceX on Tuesday shared footage on X, the Elon Musk-owned social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that depicted a "fully stacked Starship on the launch pad at Starbase." The facility is located in Texas.
In addition to addressing the corrective actions the FAA identified as "impact[ing] public safety," the company must apply for and receive a license modification from the FAA "that addresses all safety, environmental and other applicable regulatory requirements," the agency said.
Starship, which is meant to be fully and rapidly reusable, should be able to reach orbits for less than $10 million a flight within two to three years, SpaceX founder Elon Musk said. (SpaceX / Fox News)
WHERE ELON MUSK DEPLOYED SPACEX STARLINK SERVICE IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
"Starship's first flight test provided numerous lessons learned that are directly contributing to several upgrades being made both to the vehicle and ground infrastructure to improve the probability of success on future Starship flights," SpaceX said in an online post on Friday.
In the post, the company indicated it had carried out changes related to leaks, the launchpad, its Autonomous Flight Safety System and other things that the FAA had raised with the corrective actions. SpaceX "is also implementing a full suite of system performance upgrades unrelated to any issues observed during the first flight test," it said.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk during a T-Mobile and SpaceX joint event on Aug. 25, 2022 in Boca Chica Beach, Texas. ((Photo by Michael Gonzalez/Getty Images) / Getty Images)
Musk also chimed in on X, saying, "Thousands of upgrades to Starship & launchpad/Mechazilla." The latter term refers to the launch tower, according to Gizmodo.
In addition to Starship, the company has several other types of space vehicles. SpaceX has operated 261 launches to date, according to its website.