By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2024-11-19 20:18:29 | Updated at 2024-11-19 23:24:28
3 hours ago
Elon Musk’s massive SpaceX Starship rocket is set for its latest test launch on Tuesday — and Musk hopes to repeat the success of last month’s mission and once again catch the Super Heavy booster after liftoff.
Today’s mission marks the company’s fastest turnaround yet, with SpaceX touting that new upgrades to the booster’s propulsion systems will result in another successful catch using the launchpad’s “Mechazilla” claws.
President-elect Donald Trump will also be at the event, as his relationship evolves with SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who was tapped to co-lead a panel to improve government efficiency come January.
The New York Post will be covering the launch live.
What time is the launch?
Starship’s sixth test flight is scheduled for Tuesday, at 5 p.m. EST, with the rocket set to takeoff from the company’s Starbase launchpad in Boca Chica, Texas.
SpaceX will have a 30-minute launch window, with previous test flights only taking a few minutes for take off. Last month’s booster catch occurred about seven minutes after takeoff.
SpaceX will begin its broadcast 40 minutes before liftoff as everything gets prepped.
How big is the Starship rocket?
Elon Musk’s Starship is the largest rocket ever built, standing 397-feet tall.
The massive rocket is paired with the 232-foot Super Heavy booster rocket, which is outfitted with 33 liquid-fueled Raptor engines capable of producing 16 million pounds of thrust.
The Starship system is designed to be fully and rapidly reusable, saving SpaceX significantly on cost and resources, which would aid the company in reaching its ultimate goal of pioneering travel to the moon and Mars.
Who will be at the launch?
President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk are reportedly going to attend the launch together, joined by family and local politicians, including Donald Trump Jr. and US Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX).
Trump previously touted the success of SpaceX’s last test flight, which saw the first successful “catch” of the Super Heavy booster.
Musk’s appointment to co-lead a Department of Government Efficiency could potentially impact SpaceX’s embattled relationship with the Environmental Protection Agency and Federal Aviation Administration, the latter of which Musk threatened to sue for “regulatory overreach.”
What’s different about this test flight?
While today’s test launch is expected to be similar to last month’s, SpaceX will be testing Starships ability to restart one of its engines in the upper-stage, a key step to returning the ship from orbit for reusability.
SpaceX is also looking to test new thermal tiles on the surface of the rocket to protect it during re-entry.
Musk also hopes that changes to the Super Heavy booster will allow for a softer landing after October’s catch resulted in burn damage as it hung in the air for longer than expected before being caught by the mechanical arms.
And unlike previous tests, today’s launch is scheduled so that it will be daylight in the Indian Ocean to provide observers a better glimpse at Starship’s re-entry.
“There are thousands of small design changes also being tested,” Musk said of the upcoming flight.
With Post wires
