Joe Skipper | Reuters Elon Musk's SpaceX has attained authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration to fly its massive Starship rocket once again, the space regulator announced on Friday. The Starship rocket broke up during the company's seventh test flight in January. The FAA granted the modified license to SpaceX even though the company has yet to complete a mishap investigation, required after the latest explosion. Elon Musk's SpaceX has attained authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration to fly its massive Starship rocket once again, the space regulator announced on Friday. Stream NBC4 newscasts for free right here, right now. WATCH HERE The Starship rocket broke up during the company's seventh test flight in January. The explosion caused debris to rain down over Turks and Caicos, and forced several commercial flights to be diverted or delayed, CNBC previously reported. The FAA granted the modified license to SpaceX, which has a $350 billion private market valuation, even though the company has yet to complete its mishap investigation, required after the January explosion. The space regulator has previously authorized flights by companies including SpaceX and Rocket Lab while mishap investigations were still underway, a spokesperson told CNBC by email. We have the news you need to know to start your day. Sign up for the First & 4Most morning newsletter — delivered to your inbox daily. SIGN UP Last year, the FAA fined SpaceX $633,009 in civil penalties for what it alleged were safety and procedural violations in the leadup to two 2023 launches. SpaceX was also fined by the Environmental Protection Agency for polluting waters in Texas in violation of the Clean Water Act. After those fines, Musk threatened to sue the FAA for "regulatory overreach" but never filed a complaint. Musk, the world's wealthiest person, contributed nearly $300 million to help propel President Donald Trump back to the White House, and is now a central figure in the administration. Musk, who is also CEO of Tesla and the owner of social media company X, leads the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is implementing draconian staffing and budget cuts across the federal government, and targeting regulatory agencies that oversee Musk's businesses. Marcus Haworth@marcusahaworth | Marcus Haworth Via Reuters Orange balls of light fly across the sky as debris from a SpaceX rocket launched in Texas is spotted over Turks and Caicos Islands on Jan. 16, 2025. The role has afforded Musk and his DOGE staffers unprecedented access to federal computer systems and data including within the FAA. SpaceX has been selected to help overhaul the FAA's air traffic control system, Trump's Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy previously announced. U.S. & World