FASTER, PLEASE: As SpaceX Completes Second Starship WDR, FAA Conducts Safety Investigation Into Flight 3.

The vehicle was successfully detanked, and the stack was unstacked just a day later for final preparations before launch. On the previous flight, there were ten days between the WDR and launch, so a potential launch window as early as Wednesday, June 5, seems feasible.

A capability observed during this test was a 30-minute hold close to T-0. Several indicators showed that the vehicle was below the T-1 minute mark before the hold occurred. At that point, the vehicle remained in a steady state for 30 minutes before the DSS was activated, and the depress vents concluded the test.

It is unclear if this capability is planned and also possible during flight, but it might hint that SpaceX currently has the capability to hold the vehicle for 30 minutes at the very end of the countdown. This is a capability that the company’s previous vehicle, Falcon 9, does not possess.

In addition to hardware readiness, regulatory readiness remains an important item for Flight 4 of Starship. Since Starship triggered a mishap, based on FAA guidelines, a mishap investigation was initiated for Flight 3, grounding the vehicle until completion.

The “faster, please” was addressed to the FAA.