The American space company SpaceX hopes to conduct a second test flight this week using Starship, a fully reusable rocket system for missions to the Moon and Mars, for example. The company announced this via ‘X’. If they get permission, they can fly from Friday. During the previous test flight in April, the launch was successful, but the flight was not. A few minutes later, the spacecraft exploded.
SpaceX announced on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that the next test launch of Starship could begin on November 17. “The spacecraft is preparing for flight as early as November 17, pending final regulatory approval,” SpaceX wrote. The American space company is currently still looking to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other agencies for confirmation that it will be allowed to launch.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk also confirmed that whether or not Starship launches this month depends on the government approving the test flight. “Assuming regulators approve,” Musk wrote of the X in response to SpaceX’s announcement of a second test flight on Friday.
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The potential launch will take place again at SpaceX’s Starbase test site on Boca Chica Beach near Brownsville, Texas. This will be the company’s second test flight of Starship and its Super Heavy Booster, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built. SpaceX launched the first Starship test flight in April, but it exploded shortly after launch. After this failed attempt, SpaceX made many changes. So they introduced a new “Hot Phase Separation System” and “Electronic Thrust Force Control (TVC) System” for the Super Heavy Raptor engines. In addition, the launch pad has also been reinforced and equipped with a water cooling system.
The second flight will likely follow the same path as the first test, launching the spacecraft to a target site off the coast of Hawaii to test re-entry and landing techniques, while the super-heavy rocket lands in the Gulf of Mexico.
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The Starship and Super Heavy launch system is the longest and most powerful rocket in the world. It is approximately 121 meters high and is designed to be completely reusable. SpaceX wants to use Starship as a backbone for heavy launches, as well as for space missions. The company even sold flights around the moon to space tourists. NASA also plans to use the Starship rocket to land Artemis 3 astronauts on the moon.
But first the spacecraft and its booster must prove they are ready for orbital flight.
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