SpaceX chief Elon Musk 'highly confident' his Starship will reach orbit this year

FILE PHOTO: A SpaceX SN15 starship prototype is seen as it sits on a transporter after Wednesday's successful launch and first landing from the company's starship facility, in Boca Chica, Texas, U.S. May 6, 2021. REUTERS/Gene Blevins

(Corrects typographical error in Tesla, adds RIC; paragraph 6)

(Reuters) -Elon Musk said on Thursday he was "highly confident" his new SpaceX Starship, designed for voyages to the moon and Mars, will reach Earth orbit for the first time this year, despite a host of technical and regulatory hurdles yet to be overcome.