SpaceX has a license to launch Starship—this time it might fly at dawn

Enlarge / SpaceX’s third flight-ready Starship rocket underwent a countdown dress rehearsal earlier this month. (credit: SpaceX)

The Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday it has approved a commercial launch license for the third full-scale test flight of SpaceX’s giant Starship rocket.

This is the final regulatory hurdle before SpaceX can launch Starship from South Texas. The third flight of the world’s most powerful rocket, following a pair of test launches last year, is scheduled for Thursday morning.

SpaceX’s Starship rocket and Super Heavy booster will take off from the Starbase test site on the Texas Gulf Coast, a few miles north of the US-Mexico border. The launch window for the nearly 400-foot-tall (121-meter) rocket opens at 7 am CDT (12:00 UTC) Thursday and extends for 110 minutes.