Washington D.C., UNITED STATES – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has officially cleared SpaceX to resume Starship flight operations following a comprehensive investigation into a booster stage malfunction during its previous launch in May.
The regulatory clearance clears the way for the aerospace giant’s next test flight, which could lift off from Starbase in Texas as early as Thursday, July 16. Okay News reports that this mission will mark the second-ever launch of the advanced Starship Version 3 (V3) architecture and stands as SpaceX’s maiden flight as a publicly traded company following its record-breaking $86 billion Nasdaq IPO on June 12.
Unlike previous flights that utilized dummy payloads, this mission will deploy the first operational batch of 20 third-generation (V3) Starlink satellites. These upgraded satellites are engineered to expand network capacity and boost user speeds via high-capacity laser cross-links, with six units equipped with specialized external cameras to record high-resolution footage of Starship’s performance in orbit. According to flight plans, the satellites will execute a controlled burn-up in the atmosphere roughly 20 minutes post-deployment to validate short-cycle orbital mechanics.
The upcoming launch incorporates critical hardware and software fixes mandated by both SpaceX and the FAA. Investigations revealed that the May 22 anomaly—where the Super Heavy booster plummeted into the Gulf of Mexico instead of executing a simulated landing—was triggered by asymmetric engine startup forces at separation, alongside thermal stress on propulsion components and erroneous engine alarm settings. SpaceX has since modified the Raptor engine relight sequence, recalibrated the automated abort thresholds, and overhauled vacuum-engine hardware to ensure maximum reliability for its fully reusable, deep-space launch system.
