The Federal Aviation Administration may issue SpaceX its next Starship license in time for a Sunday launch attempt, CNBC has learned.

There's some optimism at SpaceX that the FAA might issue a launch license much sooner, perhaps in time for Starship to fly this weekend. The launch window Sunday opens at 7 am CDT (8 am EDT; 12:00 UTC), about a half-hour before sunrise at SpaceX's Starbase launch site in South Texas.

Originally grounded until late November due to licensing, SpaceX's fifth Starship test flight could take off as early as October 13.

SpaceX said in an announcement it might launch its Starship rocket out of Boca Chica, Texas as early as Oct. 13, pending approval from the FAA.

Starship’s fifth flight test could launch as soon as October 13, pending regulatory approval. IF everything is going well from the launch and return then they will try to land on the mechazilla launch tower.

The Federal Aviation Administration could approve a license for the launch of SpaceX's Starship 5 as soon as this month, a source told Reuters on Tuesday.

SpaceX appears to be trying to force the FAA's hand. SpaceX is preparing to launch the fifth flight of its Starship megarocket as soon as Oct. 13, despite repeated statements from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that the flight test would likely have to wait until November.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has said it could launch its next test of the Starship megarocket as soon as Oct. 13 — as long as it gets regulatory approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

SpaceX announces flight test pending approval

Elon Musk’s SpaceX and the Federal Aviation Administration are in a standoff over when the space company’s next Starship mega-rocket will blast off from South Texas.  SpaceX says it could launch as soon as Sunday,