Hello everybody, welcome back to the show. In today's episode we're unpacking the recent updates on Space XS Starship, which has been in the spotlight for both technological advancements, huge rocket 400 plus feet tall and the most powerful rocket in the world. And it's been in the spotlight lately for regulatory delays mainly and the testing that's been done within the last week.
Now, SpaceX has performed all necessary pre flight operations, but this massive rocket still awaits crucial permits from federal agencies. While many look to the skies with eagerness, Starship is grounded and as the completion of the launch licensing process remains a pending affair. SpaceX had its second test flight planned for Starship and even completed a full wet dress rehearsal.
However, the company faces multiple regulatory hoops before the rocket can break Earth's gravitational pull, and one of the last major hurdles involves a review by the Federal Wildlife Service, the FWS, in conjunction with the Federal Aviation Administration, the FAA. And this review is a detailed examination of starships potential environmental impacts, particularly focusing on the newly installed water deluge system at the Boca Chico launch site in Texas.
Now earlier this year, a test flight faced severe issues ranging from damaged launch mounds to disruptions in local wildlife and even uncontrolled fires. And this led to a comprehensive investigation resulting in 63 corrective actions proposed for SpaceX, all of which they claimed to have completed by September 10th.
Now the newly installed Water Dyard system, designed to mitigate the Rockets immense force during liftoff, is under close scrutiny by the FWS to confirm its compliance with federal regulations, particularly the federal Clean Water Act. Now the review by FWS is mandated by the Endangered Species Act, which requires reinitiating formal consultations for projects with substantial modifications. And the Water Dillard system is a substantial modification to the underbelly of the launch
system. That Starship goes out from now. Given the serious nature of these regulations and the sensitive ecosystem surrounding the Boca Chica region, this review is a critical step before SpaceX can proceeds with its ambitious second launch of Starship, hopefully make it to orbit now. The FAA has its own history with Space XS Starship. It concluded its own investigation in September, but hasn't yet green lighted the second flight pending the FWS assessment.
And if the FAA feels that the modifications made by SpaceX warrant re evaluation, we might be looking at even more extensive regulatory review process now. Last August, the FAA tried to kick start consultations by providing a new biological assessment. However, the Fish and Wildlife Service found this data insufficient for a full review, prompting another submission in early October. In this initiated the formal consultation process which will decide the fate of the Starship
project. The FWS has until March 3rd of 2024 to offer its consultations at its conclusions, although it aims to wrap up the process by November 18th this year. It seems that both regulatory bodies, while exercising due caution, have different opinions and priorities and timelines. SpaceX recently faulted the FAA for being understaffed, claiming that this was a significant cause for the delays.
And while this may be true to some extent, Spacex's own decision to move fast and break things has LED them into a tangled web of regulations and reviews. SpaceX is doing things outside of the normal regulatory system, and they're doing things faster and harder than everybody else in the industry. So the regulations, according to SpaceX, have to catch up to them now.
The Coast Guard District 9. It's also issued a notice suggesting that the next rocket launching operations are planned for between 5:25 to 11:00 AM near Boca Chica Beach. However, as we all know, such schedules are not set in stone and can change at a moment's notice, especially considering the FAA's approval and still pending. And as of now, all eyes are on the calendar and the regulatory boards. Despite these delay, SpaceX has
been quite proactive. Just Tuesday, the company conducted a full wet dress rehearsal, fueling both the Starship and the Super Heavy booster with more than £10 million of propellant, and the vehicle is said to be ready for its second test flight, pending, of course, regulatory approval. Now the upcoming tests are also set to receive support in the form of imagery from one of NASA's WB 57 High Altitude
Research aircraft. And while regulatory boards continue their assessment, SpaceX hasn't slowed down its preparations for the 2nd test flight, signalling its confidence and eventually obtaining the required approvals. Now, for those keeping an eye on potential launch states, it's important to manage your expectations. Though given the layers of regulation and multiple agencies involved, the exact launch
window remains speculative. FAA spokesperson Steve Culm has expressed optimism about completing the safety review by the end of October, but this isn't quite confirmed yet. And SpaceX, despite the looming uncertainty, has continued with its rigorous testing. Continuously testing. At Star Basin, Texas, they recently showcased their new dilute system, which has become a focus of environmental
concerns. The Fish and Wildlife Service is evaluating the system's environmental impact, particularly concerning the endangered species residing in the surrounding wetland habitats. And the dilute system, which is essential for controlling heat, noise, and force, raises a few environmental eyebrows. Environmental advocates have questioned SpaceX is permitting for the system under the Clean Water Act, as the water used is exposed to a range of contaminants, posing a risk to
sensitive habitats. And according to Texas Commission of Environmental Quality, SpaceX currently holds only a storm water permit for the site. And the FWS in the Texas Park and Wildlife Department had both engaged in clean up efforts following the previous test flight, which had widespread effects, including a dust plume that reached areas as far away as about 6.5 miles.
Spacex's journey to the second launch of the Starship It's been a little bit bumpy and the maiden flight in April not only caused extensive damage to the launchpad, but also led to an out of control tumble in a subsequent explosion over the Gulf of Mexico. So where does this leave SpaceX? After all, this isn't just a run-of-the-mill tech startup, it's a company that has literally changed our relationship with space exploration.
However, with great power comes great responsibility and understaffed FDA can be blamed for only so much. At the end of the day, SpaceX chose to adhere to a philosophy it's more Silicon Valley than Kennedy Space Center Move fast, take risks, and sometimes pay the price. But can you really afford to move fast and break things, when what you're breaking could be fragile ecosystems or even
endanger human life? Now the fact remains that the upcoming test flight of the Starship has been hamstrung in part by Spacex's own missteps, and they found themselves entangled in a web of regulatory review processes, corrective actions that are partly the result of a precarious test flight and environmental concerns.
And while they've claimed to complete 63 corrective actions in partnership with the FAA, the ball is now in the court of the Fish and Wildlife Service, which is reviewing the environmental impact of Starbase's new deluge system. Meanwhile, SpaceX has been fueling the Rockets and performing flight like rehearsals. They've clearly ready and eager to proceed. But the regulatory apparatus is not something one can simply wish away, especially when public safety and Environmental
Conservation are at stake. So as much as SpaceX might be feeling the itch to get Starship back in the sky, they must also reckon with the consequences of their previous decisions. Let's not forget, amid all these delays and regulatory issues, SpaceX has created an on spying machine. It's a huge star. SpaceX has created a gigantic rocket, and Starship is the largest rocket ever built, designed to take humans to Mars and beyond.
It's an astonishing technological feat, but the grandeur of the technology must be balanced with its impact both on the Earth and the sky. There's no room for kind of quarters with this when you're dealing with projects this large. Now, thank you so much for listening to the show today. Remember to hit the subscriber, the follow button on your favorite podcast platform. It's free, just takes a second and helps us out tremendously.
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