--- title: "The FAA Just Pushed Back SpaceX’s Starship Orbital Test Even Further" description: "The Federal Aviation Association's environmental assessment of SpaceX's Starship spacecraft has been set back yet again, according to a notice." date: "2022-04-29" modified: "2022-04-29" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/faa-pushed-back-spacex-starship-orbital-test" categories: - "Space" - "SpaceX" - "Starship" tags: - "FAA" - "SpaceX" - "Starship" - "the digest" --- # The FAA Just Pushed Back SpaceX’s Starship Orbital Test Even Further ![The Federal Aviation Association's environmental assessment of SpaceX's Starship spacecraft has been set back yet again, according to a notice.]() *\Image: SpaceX\* ## More Delays The Federal Aviation Association's [environmental assessment]() of SpaceX's Starship spacecraft has been set back yet again, according to a [notice]() posted by the regulator. That means the space company won't kick off its first-ever orbital test flight of the spacecraft any sooner than May 31, the latest in a long series of delays. The Elon Musk-led company's long-awaited orbital test flight could mark a significant milestone in the company's efforts to eventually fly astronauts to the Moon and beyond, but governmental red tape has proven to be a sticking point. https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/1520088408592424961 ## Multiple Changes According to the notice, SpaceX the made "multiple changes to its application that require additional FAA analysis." According [to *Bloomberg*](), that's likely related to SpaceX's constant iteration on its Starship design. The FAA also noted that the environmental assessment program "will not guarantee" that the agency will "issue a launch license." SpaceX has been waiting for regulator approval for many months now at its testing facilities in South Texas. The environmental assessment was supposed to be done by the end of last year, as *Bloomberg* reports, but has since been delayed four times. ## Environmental Assessment SpaceX is also operating out of an area that's close to a wildlife refuge, which provides shelter for sea turtles and migratory birds. The assessment was first drafted in September, after which it was released for public review and comment. Eleven environmental groups [asked for the FAA to have a closer look]() at SpaceX's plans back in November, according to *Bloomberg*. So for now, we'll have to stay patient as the FAA is still combing through "around 18,000 general public comments," according to its notice. **READ MORE:** [SpaceX’s Plans for Texas Launch Site Delayed Again by FAA]() \[*Bloomberg*\] **More on Starship:** *[Photographer Spots Tiny, Annoyed Face Welded Onto SpaceX Rocket]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()