FAA Ends SpaceX SN8, SN9 Investigation: Elon Musk Says SN10 Might Be Flying Soon

The Federal Aviation Administration has terminated its inquiries into SpaceX's SN8 and SN9. Elon Musk seemed confident that the matter is already resolved, tweeting a reasonable possibility of flying this week!

(Photo: SpaceX via Getty Images)
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft launches on the Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley onboard at Launch Complex 39A

Jackie Wattles of CNN and The Verge learned that the FAA terminated their investigations into the SN8 and SN9 launches. Wattles said SpaceX and the FAA "settled" concerns over the SN8 license. 

Last month, reports emerged that SpaceX in December abused its launch authorization with its SN8 high-altitude test flight, sparking a formal FAA inquiry. The agency rejected the planned updates to its license from SpaceX and did not greenlight the launch. But the firm nevertheless went ahead with it, CNET said.

SpaceX successfully launched the missile but then detonated during a landing attempt. An FAA spokesman told Wattles that the SN8 issue, including their inquiry into the license violation, they were cool with the whole explosion portion, has since been resolved.

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As for the SN9, which also exploded earlier this month when attempting to land during a high-altitude flight, the organization noticed that it "failed within the limits of the FAA safety analysis." It can be remembered that the SN9 inquiry by the FAA was a standard reaction to a reentry accident such as the type we saw on Feb. 2.

An agency spokesperson told Wattles on Friday, "The FAA closed the investigation of the Feb. 2 SpaceX Starship SN9 prototype mishap today, clearing the way for the SN10 test flight pending FAA approval of license updates."

"The FAA offered supervision of SpaceX's SN9 mishap inquiry. Within the limits of the FAA protection review, the SN9 vehicle failed. Its botched landing and blast did not endanger the public or infrastructure.

SpaceX Teases SN10

SpaceX can be clear about releasing its SN10 prototype now with these inquiries settled, but it is anyone's guess when it would be. Musk has predicted that the SN10 has a 60 percent probability of successfully landing as it winds up heading forward with the launch.

One of the fans of SpaceX with Twitter Handle @BocaChicaGal has announced a recent spotting on the SN10 facility of SpaceX that has a new "AFT Flap." The new modification to the body will allow stainless steel spacecraft to prevent errors or harm on its maneuvering, flight, and landing procedures. Elon Musk found the tweet and said SN10 is the next to study its capability on real flights.

Also, the SN10 Starship could try to attempt a new landing technique that will be distinct from the belly flop landing procedure of the SN8 and SN9, which has not resulted in successful terminations for the business. Musk said that the "pull up" approach would be considered the next landing maneuver, which is self-explanatory since it lands on its initial takeoff spot.

ALSO READ: NASA And FAA To Make Faster And Easier Flights

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