Looks like everything is working in SpaceX’s (SPCX) favor as Starship’s 14th launch-and-landing test approaches NET September 15.
First, the FCC authorized the deployment and frequency band for Starlink V3 for Flight 14. Now, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved the reentry and landing catch of the Starship upper stage.
According to the FAA, there’s no environmental hazard in bringing Starship back to Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, and attempting a catch. I woke up to an email from the FAA in my inbox, breaking the good news.
SpaceX now has both the FAA and FCC licenses to carry the Starship Flight 14 mission from its launch site at Starbase, Texas.
It’s good that SpaceX was granted these authorizations much ahead of Starship’s next flight. In the past, we have witnessed licensing issues till the last day of a Starship test launch.
Since the required government auhorizations are in place in much advance, SpaceX can now put all its efforts and focus on Starship’s 14th integrated flight test (IFT-14).
In its Tiered Envronmental Assessment (EA), the FAA marked the Flight 14 Starship launch as ‘Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Record of Decision (ROD)’.
In simple words, the FAA did not find any possibility of negative environmental impact or a hazard due to the upcoming Starship launch.
In addition to the return SpaceX provied the FAA with additional contingency trajectory for approval. The FAA document explains the renewed authorization and assessment findings as:
The FAA acted as the lead agency in the preparation of the Final Tiered EA and FONSI/ROD. Under the Proposed Action, the FAA would modify SpaceX’s vehicle operator license to authorize:
Source: The FAA Starship Final Tiered EA
- The expansion of the previously evaluated Hawaii and Central Pacific Landing Area and Southeast Pacific Region Landing Area,
- The addition of a new Northern Pacific Contingency Landing Area in the Northeast Pacific for an Eastern Range to Starbase trajectory, and;
- The authorization of temporary airspace closures associated with an additional Starship reentry trajectory to the Boca Chica Launch Site in Starbase, TX.
Flight 14 Starship Catch
Elon Musk’s team of SpaceX engineers, technicians, and space software experts have been rigorously preparing for Starship’s upper stage catch since last year.
SpaceX modified the Pad 2 launch tower Chopsticks to catch the upper stage. The lower stage Super Heavy rocket booster has been caught multiple times, the upper stage Starship has yet to be caught on landing.
Being smaller than the Super Heavy booster, it should be comparatively easier to catch the Starship. However, this remains to be proven for the first time in the upcoming Flight 14 (expected on September 15, 2026).
After the Flight 13 Starship 40 made a vertical soft splashdown landing in the Indian Ocean, SpaceX CEO, Elon Musk said that we will attempt to catch the ship in next flight.
Musk also confirmed in the Q2 2026 SpaceX Earnings Call that an attempt to catch the Starship in Flight 14 will be made. A successful catch will prove Starship’s reusability, which is the ultimate goal of this exercise.
Flight 14 will stand out in the history of Starship launches for two reasons:
- First-ever catch attempt of the upper stage Starship spacecraft (Ship 41)
- Deployment of functioning Starlink V3 satellites in space for the first time
Stay tuned as we bring you the latest updates and live-streaming and live coverage of Starship’s 14 flight test.
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Related Starship News
- The FAA approves the landing catch of Starship in Flight 14
- FCC filing reveals Starship Flight 14 launch on September 15, SpaceX conducts 33-engine static fire on Booster 21
- Starship 40 begins its journey from the Indian Ocean back home to Starbase, Texas
- After Starship’s 60-second 6-engine static fire, SpaceX rolls out Flight 14 Booster 21 for pre-launch testing
- Flight 13 Starship (S40) completes one month in the Indian Ocean, watch the latest recovery efforts by SpaceX
- Starship Flight 14: SpaceX performs a single-engine static fire test on Ship 41, Starbase updates (videos)
 grants SpaceX (SPCX) the license to catch Starship in Flight 14 launch and landing test.){kind=link}