Elon Musk’s SpaceX received U.S. government approval to launch its next-generation Starship rocket, a key milestone in the company’s quest to send humans to the moon and eventually Mars.
The Federal Aviation Administration granted the license to the company, formally Space Exploration Technologies Corp., on Friday, allowing it to launch the rocket from its Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas.
SpaceX said it plans to launch its uncrewed Starship as early as 7 a.m. local time in Texas on April 17, in line with the company’s previous guidance even before it had secured FAA approval. It will have a 150-minute launch window, the company said in a statement.
