SpaceX will attempt to launch its mega-rocket Starship on its third test flight from its spaceport in Boca Chica, Texas, today. The livestream is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. ET, with liftoff targeted for about 8 a.m. ET.
The flight plan for SpaceX’s third Starship test is different from its previous two attempts. The “Super Heavy” rocket booster will once again attempt a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. But the first stage, Starship, will ascend and then target a splashdown in the Indian Ocean instead of the Pacific Ocean. The total flight time is estimated to be one hour and four minutes. Neither stage will be recovered during this test, though both are designed to be reusable.
According to SpaceX, the reason for the change in splashdown location is that the “new flight path enables us to attempt new techniques like in-space engine burns while maximizing public safety.” The test includes the first relighting of a Raptor engine in space (Starship, the upper stage, has six liquid methane/liquid oxygen-fueled Raptor engines) and controlled reentry.
Additionally, during the coast phase, SpaceX will attempt some other firsts for this mission. It will attempt to open and close Starship’s payload bay door and perform a propellant transfer demonstration (transferring fuel from one tank to another, an initial test for future refueling tech).
Starship’s first test launch occurred on April 20, 2023. The rocket lifted off safely, but the flight ended soon after the Super Heavy booster failed to separate from the second stage, Starship. The Super Heavy booster flipped in order to start the boostback burn that would end with its splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico—but the first stage was still attached. The rocket went tumbling and SpaceX blew it up for safety.
For the second launch in November, the first-stage separation was successful. However, neither stage splashed down correctly. The Super Heavy booster lost multiple Raptor engines due to what was likely a blockage in the fuel lines during the boostback burn, while Starship caught fire during a planned propellant dump, thanks to a leak in its aft section.
All eyes are on Starship for many reasons, including that it is the biggest and most powerful rocket in the world, one that will drive down the cost of launching infrastructure to space. Once Starship is operational, it will likely transform the commercial space industry.
Additionally, NASA’s HLS, or human landing system, which will take Artemis astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface and back, is just a modified version of Starship. It’s important for Starship to succeed if NASA wants to land humans on the moon with Artemis III, currently scheduled for September 2026.
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