The News
The world’s largest and most powerful rocket could launch every two weeks after US regulators greenlit a more regular schedule for the SpaceX spacecraft.
Existing rules limit Starship to five launches a year, but a Federal Aviation Administration review determined that SpaceX’s Texas facilities could support up to 25.
Starship’s two most recent launches ended in “rapid unscheduled disassemblies” — rocket firm slang for blowing up — but progress has generally been good, with earlier efforts successfully landing. If testing goes well, its next launch could come as soon as this month.
If Starship is successful, it could significantly change spaceflight: It will have a much larger payload than existing rockets, allowing heavier equipment or up to 100 humans to be carried at once.