SpaceX, a space travel and launch company, has received regulatory clearance for the launch of its Starship rocket from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), paving the way for the Starship rocket’s maiden orbital launch.

The FAA has determined that SpaceX met all safety, environmental, policy, payload, and airspace integration and financial responsibility requirements following a comprehensive license evaluation process.

SpaceX is expected to launch the first test flight of the fully integrated Starship and Super Heavy Rocket from its Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, as early as April 17th during a 150-minute test window.

SpaceX initially planned for the Starship orbital launch in the summer of 2021, but the timeline was pushed back due to delays in progress and regulatory approvals.

Analyst QuickTake: Starship is the integration of SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy Rocket, and represents a fully reusable crew and cargo transportation system that has the capability to fly beyond Earth’s orbit. Claimed to be the most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, Starship stands 120 meters tall and has a fully reusable payload capacity of 100–150 tons.