The test flight will be a repeat of what SpaceX hoped to achieve on the previous Starship launch in January, when the rocket broke apart and showered debris over the Atlantic Ocean and Turks and Caicos Islands.

The eighth flight test of Starship is preparing to launch as soon as Monday, March 3.

The Federal Aviation Administration said on Friday it cleared the SpaceX Starship vehicle to return to flight operations while an investigation into the January 16 Starship Flight 7 mishap remains open.