For the fourth time, the Federal Aviation Administration delayed its Environmental Review of SpaceX’s Starship Rocket Program in Texas. This decision was made at May’s end.

SpaceX needs a license from the FAA to conduct further Starship flight tests and begin operational launches from its private facility in Boca Chica, Texas. The FAA, which began its environmental review in November 2020, delayed making a decision three previous times in the past five months – from Dec. 31 to Feb. 28. to Mar. 28 to April. 29 – and now expects to release the assessment on May 31.

The FAA continues to work towards issuing the final Programmatic Environmental Assessment. SpaceX has made numerous changes that will require further FAA analysis. “The agency is continuing to examine approximately 18,000 general public comment,” said the regulator in a statement.

SpaceX’s Starship, which is nearly 400 feet tall, has been working to develop a reusable rocket. It was designed with the aim of transporting cargo as well as people and other groups beyond Earth. SpaceX’s Raptor engine series powers the Super Heavy booster and rocket.

SpaceX’s Starship prototypes have successfully flown several high-altitude tests, but the next step for SpaceX will be to go into space. Although this was to happen last year, SpaceX has not made significant progress in its development. A regulatory approval for orbital flight testing is required.

SpaceX CEO in February Elon Musk gave a presentation on Starship at the company’s Starbase facility in TexasThis document outlines the future path and the obstacles that will be encountered during testing.

Musk stated that SpaceX was showing “rough signs” that approval could be granted in March. But, in lockstep with the FAA’s delays, Musk since said he hoped SpaceX would be able to launch the first Starship orbital flight in May – which, following Friday’s FAA update, is now pushed to no earlier than June.

Musk and SpaceX should consider what they would do about their Starship program, if necessary. Musk stated that Starship operations would move to Florida’s Cape Canaveral in such a scenario. This would most likely result in a Starbase launch suspension for an additional year. Already, SpaceX has begun building a launchpad for Starship on the grounds of Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space CenterSpaceX leases the property from SpaceX.

The worst-case scenario would be that the Cape rocket tower and launch facility are delayed six to eight more months. [Starship]Musk stated in February that “from there”

Musk is a billionaire and the regulator’s ongoing review adds another item to his diverse list of projects. this week selling more than $8 billion worthOf TeslaStock as he works towards taking Twitter private.