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Hello everybody, welcome back to
the show. 

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In today's episode we're 
unpacking the recent updates on 

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Space XS Starship, which has 
been in the spotlight for both 

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technological advancements, huge
rocket 400 plus feet tall and 

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the most powerful rocket in the 
world. 

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And it's been in the spotlight 
lately for regulatory delays 

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mainly and the testing that's 
been done within the last week. 

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Now, SpaceX has performed all 
necessary pre flight operations,

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but this massive rocket still 
awaits crucial permits from 

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federal agencies. 
While many look to the skies 

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with eagerness, Starship is 
grounded and as the completion 

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of the launch licensing process 
remains a pending affair. 

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SpaceX had its second test 
flight planned for Starship and 

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even completed a full wet dress 
rehearsal. 

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However, the company faces 
multiple regulatory hoops before

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the rocket can break Earth's 
gravitational pull, and one of 

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the last major hurdles involves 
a review by the Federal Wildlife

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Service, the FWS, in conjunction
with the Federal Aviation 

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Administration, the FAA. 
And this review is a detailed 

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examination of starships 
potential environmental impacts,

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particularly focusing on the 
newly installed water deluge 

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system at the Boca Chico launch 
site in Texas. 

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Now earlier this year, a test 
flight faced severe issues 

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ranging from damaged launch 
mounds to disruptions in local 

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wildlife and even uncontrolled 
fires. 

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And this led to a comprehensive 
investigation resulting in 63 

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corrective actions proposed for 
SpaceX, all of which they 

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claimed to have completed by 
September 10th. 

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Now the newly installed Water 
Dyard system, designed to 

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mitigate the Rockets immense 
force during liftoff, is under 

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close scrutiny by the FWS to 
confirm its compliance with 

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federal regulations, 
particularly the federal Clean 

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Water Act. 
Now the review by FWS is 

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mandated by the Endangered 
Species Act, which requires 

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reinitiating formal 
consultations for projects with 

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substantial modifications. 
And the Water Dillard system is 

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a substantial modification to 
the underbelly of the launch 

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system. 
That Starship goes out from now.

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Given the serious nature of 
these regulations and the 

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sensitive ecosystem surrounding 
the Boca Chica region, this 

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review is a critical step before
SpaceX can proceeds with its 

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ambitious second launch of 
Starship, hopefully make it to 

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orbit now. 
The FAA has its own history with

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Space XS Starship. 
It concluded its own 

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investigation in September, but 
hasn't yet green lighted the 

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second flight pending the FWS 
assessment. 

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And if the FAA feels that the 
modifications made by SpaceX 

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warrant re evaluation, we might 
be looking at even more 

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extensive regulatory review 
process now. 

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Last August, the FAA tried to 
kick start consultations by 

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providing a new biological 
assessment. 

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However, the Fish and Wildlife 
Service found this data 

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insufficient for a full review, 
prompting another submission in 

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early October. 
In this initiated the formal 

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consultation process which will 
decide the fate of the Starship 

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project. 
The FWS has until March 3rd of 

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2024 to offer its consultations 
at its conclusions, although it 

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aims to wrap up the process by 
November 18th this year. 

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It seems that both regulatory 
bodies, while exercising due 

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caution, have different opinions
and priorities and timelines. 

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SpaceX recently faulted the FAA 
for being understaffed, claiming

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that this was a significant 
cause for the delays. 

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And while this may be true to 
some extent, Spacex's own 

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decision to move fast and break 
things has LED them into a 

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tangled web of regulations and 
reviews. 

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SpaceX is doing things outside 
of the normal regulatory system,

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and they're doing things faster 
and harder than everybody else 

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in the industry. 
So the regulations, according to

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SpaceX, have to catch up to them
now. 

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The Coast Guard District 9. 
It's also issued a notice 

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suggesting that the next rocket 
launching operations are planned

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for between 5:25 to 11:00 AM 
near Boca Chica Beach. 

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However, as we all know, such 
schedules are not set in stone 

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and can change at a moment's 
notice, especially considering 

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the FAA's approval and still 
pending. 

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And as of now, all eyes are on 
the calendar and the regulatory 

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boards. 
Despite these delay, SpaceX has 

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been quite proactive. 
Just Tuesday, the company 

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conducted a full wet dress 
rehearsal, fueling both the 

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Starship and the Super Heavy 
booster with more than £10 

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million of propellant, and the 
vehicle is said to be ready for 

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its second test flight, pending,
of course, regulatory approval. 

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Now the upcoming tests are also 
set to receive support in the 

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form of imagery from one of 
NASA's WB 57 High Altitude 

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Research aircraft. 
And while regulatory boards 

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continue their assessment, 
SpaceX hasn't slowed down its 

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preparations for the 2nd test 
flight, signalling its 

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confidence and eventually 
obtaining the required 

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approvals. 
Now, for those keeping an eye on

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potential launch states, it's 
important to manage your 

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expectations. 
Though given the layers of 

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regulation and multiple agencies
involved, the exact launch 

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window remains speculative. 
FAA spokesperson Steve Culm has 

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expressed optimism about 
completing the safety review by 

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the end of October, but this 
isn't quite confirmed yet. 

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And SpaceX, despite the looming 
uncertainty, has continued with 

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its rigorous testing. 
Continuously testing. 

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At Star Basin, Texas, they 
recently showcased their new 

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dilute system, which has become 
a focus of environmental 

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concerns. 
The Fish and Wildlife Service is

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evaluating the system's 
environmental impact, 

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particularly concerning the 
endangered species residing in 

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the surrounding wetland 
habitats. 

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And the dilute system, which is 
essential for controlling heat, 

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noise, and force, raises a few 
environmental eyebrows. 

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Environmental advocates have 
questioned SpaceX is permitting 

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for the system under the Clean 
Water Act, as the water used is 

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exposed to a range of 
contaminants, posing a risk to 

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sensitive habitats. 
And according to Texas 

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Commission of Environmental 
Quality, SpaceX currently holds 

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only a storm water permit for 
the site. 

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And the FWS in the Texas Park 
and Wildlife Department had both

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engaged in clean up efforts 
following the previous test 

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flight, which had widespread 
effects, including a dust plume 

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that reached areas as far away 
as about 6.5 miles. 

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Spacex's journey to the second 
launch of the Starship It's been

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a little bit bumpy and the 
maiden flight in April not only 

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caused extensive damage to the 
launchpad, but also led to an 

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out of control tumble in a 
subsequent explosion over the 

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Gulf of Mexico. 
So where does this leave SpaceX?

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After all, this isn't just a 
run-of-the-mill tech startup, 

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it's a company that has 
literally changed our 

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relationship with space 
exploration. 

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However, with great power comes 
great responsibility and 

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understaffed FDA can be blamed 
for only so much. 

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At the end of the day, SpaceX 
chose to adhere to a philosophy 

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it's more Silicon Valley than 
Kennedy Space Center Move fast, 

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take risks, and sometimes pay 
the price. 

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But can you really afford to 
move fast and break things, when

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what you're breaking could be 
fragile ecosystems or even 

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endanger human life? 
Now the fact remains that the 

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upcoming test flight of the 
Starship has been hamstrung in 

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part by Spacex's own missteps, 
and they found themselves 

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entangled in a web of regulatory
review processes, corrective 

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actions that are partly the 
result of a precarious test 

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flight and environmental 
concerns. 

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And while they've claimed to 
complete 63 corrective actions 

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in partnership with the FAA, the
ball is now in the court of the 

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Fish and Wildlife Service, which
is reviewing the environmental 

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impact of Starbase's new deluge 
system. 

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Meanwhile, SpaceX has been 
fueling the Rockets and 

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performing flight like 
rehearsals. 

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They've clearly ready and eager 
to proceed. 

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But the regulatory apparatus is 
not something one can simply 

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wish away, especially when 
public safety and Environmental 

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Conservation are at stake. 
So as much as SpaceX might be 

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feeling the itch to get Starship
back in the sky, they must also 

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reckon with the consequences of 
their previous decisions. 

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Let's not forget, amid all these
delays and regulatory issues, 

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SpaceX has created an on spying 
machine. 

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It's a huge star. 
SpaceX has created a gigantic 

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rocket, and Starship is the 
largest rocket ever built, 

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designed to take humans to Mars 
and beyond. 

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It's an astonishing 
technological feat, but the 

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grandeur of the technology must 
be balanced with its impact both

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on the Earth and the sky. 
There's no room for kind of 

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quarters with this when you're 
dealing with projects this 

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large. 
Now, thank you so much for 

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listening to the show today. 
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Now each eisode is about 10 

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news. 
And until next time, please take

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care of yourselves and each 
other and I'll see you on the 

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next one.