The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has once again extended the environmental review period for the orbital flight of the SpaceX starship.

The assessment, previously scheduled to be completed by the end of February, was postponed to March 28, and is now extended to April 29 for further review of comments and ongoing institutional consultations. “The FAA is currently reviewing the final Planning Environmental Assessment (PEA) and is completing consultations and coordination with agencies at the local, state and federal levels,” the FAA said in a statement.

< /div>Starship, the next-generation fully reusable transportation system being developed by SpaceX, will send people and cargo to the Moon, Mars and other deep space destinations. Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa has booked a starship trip around the moon, which will launch as early as next year.

Musk recently revealed on social media that the Starship is expected to conduct its first orbital flight test in May.

The starship is scheduled to take off from Boca Chica, Texas. And the Starship’s orbital flight here is subject to an environmental review for FAA launch clearance.

According to Reuters, the FAA is deciding whether SpaceX’s expansion plans in Texas will have a significant environmental impact in the area, including a nearby wildlife refuge. Therefore, a broader study must be conducted before SpaceX’s expanded operations at Boca Chica’s rocket production facility and launch site can be approved.

But if the review in Texas fails and the launch permit is delayed, Musk has options. He has said that if the FAA needs more information on potential environmental impacts or lawsuits, the Starship launch could be moved to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where SpaceX has obtained the required environmental clearances, but that would allow the first orbital The launch was delayed by more than half a year.