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The Verge reported Friday that SpaceX’s first test flight of its Starship rocket at high altitude, which exploded last month as it attempted to land after an otherwise successful test launch, violated the terms of its test license from the Federal Aviation Administration.
An investigation was opened this week focusing on the explosive landing and SpaceX’s refusal to abide by the terms of what the FAA has approved, the Verge said.
SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on a training mission to the International Space Station lifts off Route 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, Sunday, December 6, 2020. (AP Photo / John Raoux)
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The Starship rocket destroyed in the crash was a 16-story prototype for the heavy-lift vehicle developed by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s private space company to transport people and 100 tons of cargo to future missions to the moon and Mars. .
The self-guided rocket blew up when it hit a landing strip, following a controlled descent. The test flight was intended to reach an altitude of 41,000 feet, powered by three of SpaceX’s newly developed Raptor engines.
But the company left unclear whether the rocket flew so high.
Artist concept of the SpaceX Starship on the surface of the moon. (SpaceX via NASA)
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The FAA has said it will evaluate additional information provided by SpaceX as part of the application to change the license for its launch.
“We will only approve the amendment once we are satisfied that SpaceX has taken the necessary steps to comply with the regulatory requirements,” reads a statement.