The first orbital test flight of Starship could take place next month. Mark Kirasich is a NASA senior official responsible for the development of Artemis’ moon program. He shared the information at a NASA Advisory Council meeting. According to ReutersKirasich stated that NASA monitors four Starship flights, and that the first one will be coming up in December.
SpaceX plans based on Previous releasesThe launch of the Starship spacecraft along with its Super Heavy booster from the company’s Boca Chica facility will take place in Texas. Three minutes into the flight, the booster will burst and splash down in Gulf of Mexico. The Starship vehicle will then go into orbit before returning to Earth and landing on the ocean near Hawaii. The test flight is expected to last 90 minutes.
SpaceX was planning Starship’s first orbital flight ever since mid-2021. But it was constantly delayed due to regulatory and technical issues. Boca Chica is the location of the launch facility for SpaceX. Cleared the FAAenvironmental assessment. The FAA also required that the company make more than 75 modifications to reduce the environmental impact of its flights, before it granted the company a site license.
A spokesperson for the FAA said ReutersThe agency will issue a license to the company only after SpaceX has provided all relevant information and can be fully analyzed by the agency. As SpaceNewsSpaceX must conduct additional tests before taking off, including a static fire test for all 33 Raptor engines aboard the Super Heavy booster.
A static fire test on the Starship in July ended up in flamesPropellers were ignited below the booster. SpaceX’s next attempt will be in August It went smoothlyHowever, the company fired only one Raptor engine on Super Heavy at that time. Starship must also undergo a wet dress rehearsal. A rocket with propellants on it must pass the launch countdown, but not take off.
Engadget recommends only products that have been reviewed by our editorial staff. This is independent from our parent company. Affiliate links may be included in some of our stories. We may be compensated if you purchase something using one of these affiliate links. All prices are accurate at the time they were published.
