Elon Musk's SpaceX announced on Friday that the most powerful rocket ever built, Starship, currently under review by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, could be ready for the second launch as soon as mid-November.
"The second flight test of a fully integrated Starship could launch as soon as mid-November, pending regulatory approval," SpaceX wrote in a statement on its website.
This comes several days after the Federal Aviation Administration concluded a safety review focused on potential impacts on public health and property. The FAA's report is part of a more comprehensive assessment required before the next launch. Currently, the Fish & Wildlife Service is still conducting an Endangered Species Act of 1973 review of the launch and has upwards of 135 days to issue an opinion.
"The consultation is still underway, so we don't have any timeline updates," Aubry Buzek, public affairs for the Fish and Wildlife Service in Texas, told Bloomberg via email.
There have been mounting concerns the US government under the Biden administration has weaponized federal agencies against the billionaire for his 'free speech' social media platform X.
Musk recently described the apparent 'beef' that the Biden administration has with him. In September, he told All-In Podcast host entrepreneur David Sacks:
"...there does seem to be some significant increase in the weaponization of government and really sort of misuse of prosecutorial discretion in many areas... I think this is really a dangerous thing for there to be partisan politics with government agencies."
Musk continued:
"I don't think the whole administration has it out for me," he added.
"But I think there's probably aspects of the administration... or aspects of interests aligned with President Biden who probably do not wish good things for me."
On Sept. 5, Musk said Starship was ready for launch.
"Starship is ready to launch, awaiting FAA license approval," Musk wrote on X, sharing a video of world's largest rocket at the SpaceX Starbase launch facility in south Texas.
Musk was somewhat optimistic in a recent interview where he said, "We think it will work, but we aren't sure if it will work."