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One of the most pressing issues discussed this week involves SpaceX’s plans to advance its lunar ambitions with the Starship rocket. During a testimony before U.S. senators on October 18, a SpaceX executive highlighted significant regulatory hurdles that are hampering progress. The company is pushing for Congress to take immediate action by doubling the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) licensing staff and streamlining the launch approval process. The current sluggish pace of regulatory approval risks falling behind China in the increasingly competitive new space race. SpaceX emphasizes that modernizing these processes is crucial to maintaining the United States' leadership in space exploration and ensuring timely development and deployment of innovative space vehicles.