Global Courant 2023-04-11 16:23:44
Image: REUTERS/Joe Skipper
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk revealed that a large SpaceX Starship Super Heavy rocket launch test will now take place later this month instead of this week.
Starship is envisioned by SpaceX as a fully reusable transportation system capable of carrying people and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond. The rocket will launch from SpaceX’s Starbase facilities in Boca Chica, Texas, on the first launch of the company’s fully stacked 400-foot Starship rocket system. Fully stacked indicates that all components are in place, with the higher stage resting on top of the booster.
“Spaceship launch is trending towards the end of the third week of April,” Musk wrote on Twitter a day after stating it was ready for launch and “pending regulatory approval.”
The Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) filed a planning notice on April 4 stating that the primary expected launch date was Monday, but backup options were Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Last week, Musk stated that Starship will be ready to launch this week.
The FAA issued an amended notice on Monday saying the launch may now take place on April 17.
SpaceX still needs an FAA launch permit for what is slated to be its first orbital flight test from Boca Chica. One major hurdle remains: completing a federal environmental compliance assessment.
The Starship missile system consists of a Starship missile on top of a “Super Heavy” first stage booster powered by 33 rocket motors. The Starship’s second stage will launch into space, where it will make a full circle around Earth before re-entering the atmosphere and splashing down off the coast of Hawaii. The Super Heavy booster is also expected to land near the Texas launch site.
