The gigantic rocket could blast off as early as Friday, November 17.
Later this week, SpaceX is poised for a highly anticipated, and undoubtedly exciting, second test flight of its Starship megarocket—provided it receives the final regulatory approvals. Here’s what you need to know about this critically important test.
Update: November 16, 3:28 p.m. ET: Launch is now slated for Saturday, November 18 with a 20-minute launch window opening at 8:00 a.m. ET. Ground teams needed the extra time to replace a grid fin actuator on the booster.
Original article follows.
The Elon Musk-led company is targeting Friday, November 17 for the second test flight of its Starship megarocket—pending the final go-ahead from regulatory bodies. The upcoming flight follows the first test on April 20, which ended with the rocket’s destruction over the Gulf of Mexico. Since then, SpaceX has undertaken 63 corrective actions as mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Standing 400 feet (122 meters) tall, Starship is the most powerful rocket ever built. The megarocket is crucial for SpaceX as it’s central to the company’s goals for more ambitious space missions, including potential trips to Mars. For NASA’s Artemis Moon program and the broader spaceflight community, Starship promises a revolutionary leap, as the rocket will allow for more flexible and cost-effective missions to space.
The first test flight revealed many key areas for improvement; the rocket needed “well over a thousand” changes prior to the second mission, Musk said in June. First and foremost, the lack of protective infrastructure at the Boca Chica launch mount proved to be a significant oversight. The force of the 33 Raptor engines, along with an achingly long 8-second firing sequence, shredded the area beneath the launch mount, sending debris and dust into the surrounding areas. In response, SpaceX constructed a water-cooled steel flame deflector to prevent a recurrence.
The newly implemented water deluge system is being scrutinized by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the FAA for potential environmental impacts; this represents the final regulatory hurdle for SpaceX. The fact that SpaceX has chosen November 17 as the tentative launch date implies that the company expects to receive the necessary launch license soon.
