“I agree that this is a vital mission, and I think SpaceX has been a very innovative company, but I think they’re also a mature company,” Whitaker replied. "They’ve been around 20 years, and I think they need to operate at the highest level of safety. That includes adopting an SMS (Safety Management System) program, and it includes having a whistleblower program.”

Asked what SpaceX could do to shorten the delay in the next Starship test flight, Whitaker replied: “Complying with the regulations would be the best path.”