federal aviation administration
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SpaceX’s Starship Breaks New Ground During Third Test Flight
The megarocket flew faster and farther than ever before, and, surprisingly, with no explosion in sight.
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We Finally Know Why SpaceX’s Starship Exploded (Twice) During Its Second Flight
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has closed its investigation into the second Starship test flight, which SpaceX performed on November 18, 2023. With the inquiry concluded, SpaceX is now on track to advance its program, pending the necessary fixes. Orbital Test Flight 2 (OFT-2) was a considerable improvement over the first test, done on April…
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We’ll Finally Get to See NASA’s Sonic Boom-Less Supersonic Plane Next Week
NASA’s supersonic experimental plane—the linchpin of the agency’s Quesst mission—is set to roll out of its warehouse in the California desert next week. We’re gassed for the big reveal: the X-59 has been in development for six years, and, if successful, it will demonstrate supersonic flight without sonic booms. The 99-foot-long (30-meter) plane is just…
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SpaceX’s Starship Rocket Could Fly Again in the Coming Weeks
SpaceX is preparing to launch its Starship rocket for the second time, aiming for mid-November for another flight test of its launch vehicle after the first one didn’t go so well. It’s been over six months since Starship lifted off for the very first time, a problematic debut that has kept the rocket grounded since…