The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has closed its review into a SpaceX Starship booster failure that occurred in May, clearing the way for the rocket's next test flight from Texas as soon as this week. [10, 11] The approval marks a critical step for the company following its record-setting IPO in June 2026. [15, 19]
The FAA-mandated investigation followed the May 22nd test flight, which was declared a "mishap" after the Super Heavy booster failed its controlled landing burn and was lost. [2, 7] SpaceX's investigation identified issues with engine re-ignition and implemented hardware and software fixes that the FAA has now approved, allowing the program to resume flight operations. [5, 16]