SpaceX has announced its readiness to launch the Starship rocket for a second attempt as soon as an environmental review of its new launch system is concluded. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently completed a safety review of the first Starship launch, which occurred in April and resulted in the destruction of the rocket and significant damage to the Boca Chica launch site. In September, the FAA issued a list of safety concerns that SpaceX needed to address before a second launch, and it's believed that the company has already resolved most of these issues.
With the safety review now completed, the only remaining hurdle is related to environmental considerations. Interestingly, the final obstacle to gaining environmental approval is a new water deluge system designed to mitigate the substantial impact of the powerful rocket. This system will cool and cushion the effects of the rocket's blast. However, the FAA must consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to evaluate the potential impact of the deluge system on endangered species. The USFWS has indicated that this consultation could take up to 135 days, although they expect to complete it sooner.