Earlier this morning SpaceX released a full update on Starship multiple pages long, which included some significant claims against certain agencies delaying the IFT-5 launch. In reality, the Flight 5 upper stage and Super Heavy booster have been ready to launch since August.
The company also revealed that a previously communicated launch license from the FAA for mid-September has now been changed to late November at the earliest. If that wasn’t enough, a lot of the public comment periods surrounding these delays can continually be extended if necessary.
“indefinitely delay launch”
For weeks now SpaceX has been working hard on Stage 0 infrastructure as they prepare for the first booster catch attempt on Flight 5. While the company hadn’t said much, before this update, most believed that SpaceX just needed a bit more time for launch tower upgrades, testing, and finally FAA approval, expected some time in the near future.
This new update from SpaceX however paints a different picture and showcases a list of regulatory hurdles ahead of them. In this post, which is over 2000 words long, they first express the importance of Starship’s flight manifest and continually launching the rocket.
Here they are quoted saying, “The more we fly safely, the faster we learn; the faster we learn, the sooner we realize full and rapid rocket reuse. Unfortunately, we continue to be stuck in a reality where it takes longer to do the government paperwork to license a rocket launch than it does to design and build the actual hardware. This should never happen and directly threatens America’s position as the leader in space” they said.
They next go into details about flight 5 and confirm the plan to, for the first time, attempt to catch the Super Heavy booster out of the air. While exciting, the context related to the catch in this specific update is far from it.
In a quote they say, “It’s understandable that such a unique operation would require additional time to analyze from a licensing perspective. Unfortunately, instead of focusing resources on critical safety analysis and collaborating on rational safeguards to protect both the public and the environment, the licensing process has been repeatedly derailed by issues ranging from the frivolous to the patently absurd. At times, these roadblocks have been driven by false and misleading reporting, built on bad-faith hysterics from online detractors or special interest groups who have presented poorly constructed science as fact.”
They go on to say, “We recently received a launch license date estimate of late November from the FAA, the government agency responsible for licensing Starship flight tests. This is a more than two-month delay to the previously communicated date of mid-September. This delay was not based on a new safety concern, but instead driven by superfluous environmental analysis. The four open environmental issues are illustrative of the difficulties launch companies face in the current regulatory environment for launch and reentry licensing” they said.
This statement is significant as it expresses some of the challenges and also gives us somewhat of a launch timeline. It seems that as of right now, the soonest we could see Starship Flight 5 happen is late November. That being said, SpaceX goes on to talk about more regulatory concerns that could continue to push this launch back.
They next talk about the deluge system and the problems they’ve run into with the EPA. Specifically, they are quoted saying, “Starship’s water-cooled steel flame deflector has been the target of false reporting, wrongly alleging that it pollutes the environment or has operated completely independent of regulation. This narrative omits fundamental facts that have either been ignored or intentionally misinterpreted.”
To summarize, SpaceX got a permit to cover deluge operations under the supervision of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The TCEQ incorporated numerous mitigation measures and even had officials present during the first testing of the deluge system. It’s also important to point out that the water being discharged is clean, and SpaceX points out that it is literally drinking water. However, despite all this, it would turn out to not be enough.
SpaceX is quoted saying, “When the EPA issued its Administrative Order in March 2024, it was done before seeking a basic understanding of the facts of the water-cooled steel flame deflector’s operation or acknowledgement that we were operating under the Texas Multi-Sector General Permit. After meeting with the EPA—during which the EPA stated their intent was not to stop testing, preparation, or launch operations—it was decided that SpaceX should apply for an individual discharge permit. Despite our previous permitting, which was done in coordination with TCEQ, and our operation having little to nothing in common with industrial waste discharges covered by individual permits, we applied for an individual permit in July 2024.”
They finished talking about this specific issue by saying, “The subsequent fines levied on SpaceX by TCEQ and the EPA are entirely tied to disagreements over paperwork. We chose to settle so that we can focus our energy on completing the missions and commitments that we have made to the U.S. government, commercial customers, and ourselves. Paying fines is extremely disappointing when we fundamentally disagree with the allegations, and we are supported by the fact that EPA has agreed that nothing about the operation of our flame deflector will need to change. Only the name of the permit has changed.”
This leads to the final issue SpaceX addressed in this update, this time regarding the environment and regulatory approval. They start by saying, “No launch site operates in a vacuum. As we have built up capacity to launch and developed new sites across the country, we have always been committed to public safety and mitigating impacts to the environment.”
“Environmental regulations and mitigations serve a noble purpose, stemming from common-sense safeguards to enable progress while preventing undue impact to the environment. However, with the licensing process being drawn out for Flight 5, we find ourselves delayed for unreasonable and exasperating reasons” they said.
They then begin talking about the hot-stage ring on top of the Super Heavy booster. Specifically, they say, “On Starship’s fourth flight, the top of the Super Heavy booster, commonly known as the hot-stage, was jettisoned to splash down on its own in the Gulf of Mexico. This operation was analyzed thoroughly ahead of Starship’s fourth flight, specifically focused on any potential impact to protected marine species. Given the distribution of marine animals in the specific landing area and comparatively small size of the hot-stage, the probability of a direct impact is essentially zero. This is something previously determined as standard practice by the FAA and the National Marine Fisheries Service for the launch industry at large, which disposes of rocket stages and other hardware in the ocean on every single launch, except of course, for our own Falcon rockets which land and are reused.”
“The only proposed modification for Starship’s fifth flight is a marginal change in the splashdown location of the hot-stage which produces no increase in likelihood for impacting marine life. Despite this, the FAA leadership approved a 60-day consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service. Furthermore, the mechanics of these types of consultations outline that any new questions raised during that time can reset the 60-day counter, over and over again. This single issue, which was already exhaustively analyzed, could indefinitely delay launch without addressing any plausible impact to the environment.”
This obviously is concerning and brings up major questions related to the vehilces future timeline and outlook. If that wasn’t enough, there are even more 60 day consultations being issued.
Here the company highlights, “Another unique aspect to Starship’s fifth flight and a future return and catch of the Super Heavy booster will be the audible sonic booms in the area around the return location. As we’ve previously noted, the general impact to those in the surrounding area of a sonic boom is the brief thunder-like noise. The FAA, in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, evaluated sonic booms from the landing of the Super Heavy and found no significant impacts to the environment. Although animals exposed to the sonic booms may be briefly startled, numerous prior studies have shown sonic booms of varying intensity have no detrimental effect on wildlife. Despite this documented evidence, the FAA leadership approved an additional 60-day consultation with U.S. Fish and Wildlife as a slightly larger area could experience a sonic boom.”
The last point they make has to do with birds in the area. They point out, “SpaceX already has extensive mitigations in place and has been conducting biological monitoring for birds near Starbase for nearly 10 years. The protocol for the monitoring was developed with U.S. Fish and Wildlife service, and is conducted by professional, qualified, independent biologists. Even though Starship’s fifth flight will take place outside of nesting season, SpaceX is still implementing additional mitigations and monitoring to minimize impacts to wildlife, including infrared drone surveillance pre- and post-launch to track nesting presence.”
SpaceX finished the update by saying, “Despite a small, but vocal, minority of detractors trying to game the regulatory system to obstruct and delay the development of Starship, SpaceX remains committed to the mission at hand. Our thousands of employees work tirelessly because they believe that unlimited opportunities and tangible benefits for life on Earth are within reach if humanity can fundamentally advance its ability to access space. This is why we’re committed to continually pushing the boundaries of spaceflight, with a relentless focus on safety and reliability.”
Conclusion
Thanks to this new update, we have a much better idea of what’s happening with the Starship program and also what’s impacting Flight 5. By now SpaceX is basically ready to launch but it looks like that won’t be happening for at least a few months. A pattern that can’t keep up going forward if SpaceX wants to stay on schedule.