Tech Desk 
Mar 02, 2025
An undated image of SpaceX starship. — SpaceX
Elon Musk’s aerospace company SpaceX has been greenlighted by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to launch its Starship mega-rocket.
The mega-rocket will be launched for the eighth time from the Starbase in South Texas on Monday (March 3). The upcoming launch follows a partially successful test flight on January 16.
What happened to SpaceX Starship flight in January?
It emerged that on January 16, SpaceX lost communication with the Starship spacecraft mounted atop the booster after successfully catching its Super Heavy booster during the Starship’s seventh test flight launched from Boca Chica, Texas.
The upper stage suffered a propellant leak and exploded over the Atlantic Ocean, cutting SpaceX’s mission short.
While the FAA is currently overseeing an investigation into the incident, the agency has determined that SpaceX can proceed with the eighth flight.
The FAA issued a license modification authorising the launch after determining that SpaceX met all necessary safety, environmental, and licensing requirements for the suborbital test flight.
The Starship will also attempt to deploy four mock Starlink broadband satellites, known as payloads, during the flight.
The upcoming flight is scheduled to lift off during a window that opens at 6:30pm EST on Monday.
